International Conducting Competition Rotterdam 2027–2028

The International Conducting Competition Rotterdam is a two-year career-development program for young conductors, culminating in a 2028 finale at de Doelen in Rotterdam rather than paying out in a single round. It's open to professional conductors of any nationality aged 22 to 30 at the application deadline; former Designated Winners can't reapply, though past quarter- and semi-finalists can, and you have to disclose any teaching relationship with a jury member. Each of the six conductors who reach the designated finals receives a €5,000 performance fee, which counts toward the top prizes: €20,000 for first, €15,000 for second, and €10,000 for third. There's also a Codarts Award — an engagement with the Codarts Orchestra, chosen by its own students — and an Audience Award with no published amount. Applying costs a non-refundable €175 and runs through muvac.com between 1 September and 30 November 2026; you'll need a current passport or ID scan, a publication-ready portrait photo, four conducting programmes at specified orchestration limits with written concepts and motivations, and three videos — a short self-introduction, a real rehearsal or concert recording, and a standardised excerpt of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings used purely for promotion. After an online selection round, 24 conductors are invited to Rotterdam for live rounds with Sinfonia Rotterdam in July 2027, from which six go forward to further development work before the 2028 finale. The competition doesn't publish judging criteria beyond the structure of its rounds.