The Philharmonie de Paris and Paris Mozart Orchestra’s 1st edition of their joint International Competition for Women Conductors will take place from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 March 2020.

The Philharmonie de Paris and Paris Mozart Orchestra’s 1st edition of their joint International Competition for Women Conductors will take place at the Philharmonie de Paris from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 March 2020.

This new competition will be co-directed by Claire Gibault, music director of the Paris Mozart Orchestra, and Laurent Bayle, general manager of the Philharmonie de Paris. Deborah Borda, president and CEO of the New York Philharmonic, will chair a strictly gender equality-based international and prestigious jury composed of six of the world’s leading women and men conductors.

Aimed at gifted professionals, the competition will showcase twelve candidates of the highest calibre, following a carefully-managed selection process. The competition will award several financial prizes, professionnal engagements, as well as career support.

This competition will provide a high profile platform and shine the brightest of lights on the outstanding talents of the many women conductors who are too often denied the visibility they deserve. It will offer younger generations inspiring role models and encourage a new confidence in true vocational choices. It will call upon programmers and musical institutions worldwide to grasp the Zeitgeist and draw upon a pool of talents more representative of society’s diversity.

At every stage of the competition, a choice of varied and challenging repertoire from the 18th century to the present day will highlight each candidate’s artistic individuality.

The first events and the final are open to the public.