Some of the globe’s best emerging orchestral conductors will descend upon Birmingham this September as the prestigious 6th Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition makes its UK debut.

Held every four years and regarded as one of the world’s leading conducting competitions, the internationally acclaimed event will take place in Birmingham from Thu 3 Sep – Sun 6 Sep, with the Semi-finals and Finals open to the public at Symphony Hall on the Saturday and Sunday.

Presented in partnership with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), the competition offers audiences a rare opportunity to witness the next generation of international conducting talent before many go on to enjoy major careers with the world’s leading orchestras.

A first for Birmingham…

Founded in 2007 in accordance with the wishes of legendary Russian conductor and composer Evgeny Svetlanov, the competition is dedicated to discovering, supporting and promoting exceptional young conductors. Previous editions have taken place in Luxembourg, Montpellier, Paris and Monte-Carlo, making Birmingham the first UK city to host this prestigious international event, and, for the first time in the competition’s history, audiences are invited to attend from the Semi-finals onwards.

Nearly 350 conductors from 54 countries applied to take part in the 2026 competition, with just 18 conductors representing 15 nationalities selected to compete across three rounds with the CBSO under the artistic direction of René Koering.

At the conclusion of the Finals, audiences at Symphony Hall will also vote for the Audience Prize, recognising their favourite conductor. The competition will be judged by a distinguished international jury chaired by acclaimed conductor Bertrand de Billy, with CBSO Music Director Kazuki Yamada among the jury members.

Emma Stenning, Chief Executive of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, said: “Supporting a competition such as this is central to our mission. It gives us the opportunity to spotlight the next generation of conductors, invite audiences into the excitement of discovery, and help shape the future of our art form. We are delighted to welcome these remarkable young musicians to Birmingham.”

Tickets to the Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition available now. Book yours below.

Featured image credit: Paul Dixon

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