Conductors of all nations who are 33 years old and younger (deadline: 31st October 2023) are eligible for registration. Application is only possible online.

Deadline for applications: 30th April 2023. (closed)

The organiser is entitled to extend the deadline if required.

Online application requires:

• onlineapplication form
• copy of your ID or passport (possibly with a translation)
• recent video recording with a length of roughly 15 minutes which shows the applicant working as a conductor (no back view)
• Recordings from piano rehearsals are not admitted.
• The video recordings filed should illustrate, if possible, the conductor’s work both with a symphonic and an opera repertoire.
• 3 high-resolution photos, one of which should be a portrait photo, including photo credit

No participation fee required.

On the basis of the applications filed, a part of the jury will select ten candidates, who will take part in the competition for the 2023 German Conducting Award in Cologne. The German Music Council is committed to gender equality. For this reason, at least 20% of the available places will be awarded to female and/or diverse candidates.The decision will be announced by 30th June 2023. The decisions of the jury are irrefutable; no explanation will be given. Two other candidates will have qualified for the competition through their successful participation in the Conductors’ Forum, based on several decisions by the jury.

Participants are responsible for their travel planning and accommodation themselves. They can be accommodated free of charge in host families by request.

The organiser retains the right to record and to broadcast the audio and video recordings. No royalties can be claimed by the contestants for the exploitation of any of their recordings.

With their registration for the German Conducting Award, the participants recognise the terms and conditions of the contest and the decisions to be taken by the jury as binding. Any legal action is precluded. Applications that do not coincide with the conditions of the German Conducting Award can be rejected. In case of doubts about the interpretation of the contest’s rules, the German version of the rules is binding. In the case of disputes, Bonn / Germany is the court of jurisdiction in charge.