Applications Closing for International Conducting Competition Rotterdam

The competition is open to professional conductors of all nationalities aged between 23 and 30 at the start of the semi-finals

The International Conducting Competition Rotterdam will see its second edition held from June 1-13, 2025. Open to conductors from around the world, applications will be accepted until December 1, 2023.

After an online selection, 24 promising conductors will be invited to the semi-finals in Rotterdam, which will take place on June 7, 2024. To apply, click here.

The jury will select six ‘designated winners’ who will receive a year-long career development program — consisting of two academy weeks, workshops, coaching, and PR support.

Eventually, the six finalists will compete in the finals in June 2025, which will consist of five separate rounds with various themes. The finalists will get the chance to conduct the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Klangforum Wien, Sinfonia Rotterdam, and Laurens Symphony Chorus.

The Grand Prix includes 15,000 Euro, while the audience award recipient will receive 2,000 Euro. Five specialist prizes, one for each of the final rounds, totals 3,000 Euro and the Performance Award, for each of the six designated winners, totals 5,000 Euro.

The international jury will consist of a fixed core extended with rotating specialists for each final round. The jury will include: Roberta Alexander, Deborah Borda, Han-Na Chang, Brett Dean, Sian Edwards, Gaetan Le Divelec, Wolfgang Fink, Iván Fischer, Dame Jane Glover, Ara Guzelimian, Antony Hermus, Philippe Herreweghe, Tisa Ho, Vimbayi Kaziboni, Sophie De Lint, Stephan Macleod, Johan De Meij, Cathy Milliken, Ulrike Niehoff, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Christina Pluhar, Pamela Rosenberg, Kwamé Ryan, Ed Spanjaard, Elmar Weingarten, George Wiegel, Eric Whitacre, Bas Wiegers, Mark Williams, and Yip Wing-sie.