German Conducting Award
The German Conducting Award (GCA) is an international competition for young conductors organised by the German Music Council (Deutscher Musikrat) in partnership with the Cologne Philharmonic Concert Hall (Kölner Philharmonie), the Cologne Opera (Oper Köln), the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne (Gürzenich Orchester Köln) and the Symphonic Orchestra of broadcasting station WDR (WDR Sinfonieorchester). The City of Cologne has supported the competition for many years. It is accompanied by West German Broadcasting - WDR 3 as a cultural partner.
Award winners of 2025
Henri Christopher Aavik
1st Prize, Kurt Masur Audience Award, Bärenreiter Award
Luis Toro Araya
2nd Prize, Bärenreiter Award
Friedrich Praetorius
3rd Prize, Bärenreiter Award
Live broadcast on the YouTube channel of ARD Klassik on 20 October 2025 and broadcast on ARD Konzert on 22 October 2025 from 20:03
Participating stations: BR Klassik, HR 2 Kultur, MDR Klassik, NDR Kultur, RBB Kultur, SR Kultur, SWR Kultur, WDR 3
The German Conducting Award takes the genres of opera and concert equally into account in the repertoire and thus challenges the cross-genre skills of the candidates. Two outstanding orchestras, an excellent ensemble of singers and a first-class concert hall are at their disposal throughout the competition. With its prize money, extensive support measures and renowned partners, the German Conducting Award supports young conductors on their path to professional careers.
The prestigious award was first presented in 1995 as the "Award of the Conductors' Forum" („Preis des Dirigentenforums“) and from 2006 as the "German Conductors‘ Award“ („Deutscher Dirigentenpreis") to an outstanding scholarship holder of the Conductors Forum (Forum Dirigieren) and goes back to an initiative of the Conductors Forum, the Bad Homburger castle concerts and the BHF-Bank-Stiftung.
In 2017, the competition took place for the first time internationally and with great media attention in Cologne. Since 2023, it has been operating under the English name "German Conducting Award" in order to do justice to aspects such as internationality, gender and diversity in the title.
Schedule and repertoire 2025
12 candidates
Opera repertoire with Gürzenich-Orchester and ensemble members of the Oper Köln
Symphonic repertoire with WDR Sinfonieorchester
6 candidates
Contemporary symphonic repertoire with WDR Sinfonieorchester
Friday, 17 October 2025 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kölner Philharmonie (Philharmonic Concert Hall Cologne)
3 candidates
Opera repertoire with Gürzenich-Orchester and ensemble members of the Oper Köln
Symphonic repertoire with WDR Sinfonieorchester
Saturday, 18 October 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (opera repertoire) and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. (symphonic repertoire) Friday, 17 October 2025 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kölner Philharmonie (Philharmonic Concert Hall Cologne)
Monday, 20 October 2025 7 p.m. in the Kölner Philharmonie (Philharmonic Concert Hall Cologne)
Tickets for the final concert may be obtained as from 20 May 2025 at 12:00 here: koelner-philharmonie.de - € 29,- | reduced: € 12,- | standing area: € 21,-
Candidates 2025
Jury 2025
Partner
Kulturpartner WDR 3
Awards 2025
1st Prize:
15.000 €
founded by the City of Cologne (10 000 €) and the Ursula Lübbe Stiftung (5 000 €)
2nd Prize:
10.000 €
3rd Prize:
5.000 €
founded by the Oscar und Vera Ritter-Stiftung
Kurt Masur Audience Award:
3.000 €
founded by the International Kurt Masur Institute
Bärenreiter Urtext Award
each 200 €
for the three finalists as music voucher
The first prize winner will also receive a personalised baton from Rohema and a product from the Woolwind brand collection worth 500 €.
The second prize winner will receive a 50% discount on all Woolwind products.
The third prize winner will receive a 25% discount on all Woolwind products.
The award winner can expect
concerts, assistances or productions with the following partners:
Participate in the German Conducting Award
Sponsors
Award winners of the past years
Dayner Tafur-Díaz | 2023
1st Prize, Audience Award
Hossein Pishkar | 2017
1st Prize
Martijn Dendievel | 2021
1st Prize
Julio García Vico | 2019
1st Prize, Award of the Bonn Opera Friends, Audience Award
Impressions of the German Conducting Award 2023
Would you like to support the German Conducting Award?
Your donation will enhance the excellence among upcoming conductors.
If you wish, your commitment will be honored publicly, and we will inform you regularly about the latest news concerning the German Conducting Award.
For amounts from 100€ on you will get a tax deductible donation receipt. Please note your address on the remittance slip, so we can send you the donation receipt.
Bank account:
Deutscher Musikrat gGmbH
IBAN: DE60 4401 0046 0753 9324 65
BIC: PBNKDEFF
Customer reference number: DF Kostenstelle 6217 Sachkonto 8250
Intended use: Spende German Conducting Award
