Participation Conditions

• The competition is open to all orchestra conductors born on or after January 1, 1991
• March 16, 2026 is the deadline for submitting the required documents for application. The application fee is €100.
• April 1, 2026 is the date when candidates who pass the preliminary elimination and are invited to the competition will be notified by email. The main candidate fee is €750.
• May 1, 2026 is the deadline for main candidates to complete their final registration procedures.
• The main candidate registration fee is €750.  [PARTICIPATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM] . The transportation and accommodation expenses of the candidates who pass the preliminary selection and are invited to the competition will be covered by the budget of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality.
• All candidates are deemed to have accepted the provisions specified in the competition specifications.       [SPECIFICATIONS]
• Sevda–Cenap And Music Foundation will award a participation grant of €750 to each of the three candidates selected by the preliminary jury.

Required Documents for Application

Candidates must send the following documents to the specified e-mail address by 17:00 (Turkey time) on March 16, 2026.

• Application petition       [[APPLICATION FORM]]
• Valid passport or Turkish ID card.
• Current CV covering orchestra conducting education and experience.
• A continuous video performance recording of at least 15 minutes duration showing the candidate conducting an orchestra, choir, chamber music group or with piano accompaniment.
• Bank receipt for the €100 application fee.

• Applications must be sent to yarisma@ugasy.org with all documents specified in the specifications.

Bank Account Information

STAGE I (June 8-9, 2026)

Group A - One work selected by the jury

• Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 7 (1st movement)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter" (1st Movement)
• Joseph Haydn - Symphony No. 104 "London" (1st movement)

Group B - One work selected by the candidate

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni Overture
• Ludwig van Beethoven - Egmont Overture
• Gioacchino Rossini - The Barber of Seville Overture
• Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy - Fingal's Cave Overture
• Carl Maria von Weber - Der Freischütz Overture
• Giuseppe Verdi - Nabucco Overture

Each candidate will be given 30 minutes of rehearsal and performance time. Candidates will conduct one work selected by the jury from Group A and one work they choose from Group B.

STAGE II (June 10-11, 2026)

• Ludwig van Beethoven - Leonore Overture No. 3
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
• Johannes Brahms - Variations on a Theme by Haydn
• Franz Liszt - Les Préludes
• Bedřich Smetana - The Moldau
• Maurice Ravel - Mother Goose Suite
• Ahmet Adnan Saygun - Ayin Raksı

Each candidate will be given 40 minutes of rehearsal and performance time. Candidates will conduct one work they choose from the above listed works.

FINAL (13 June 2026 Rehearsal - 14 June 2026 Final Concert)

• In the final stage, candidates must choose from among all the works on the list the works they have not directed in the other stages.
• In case of conflict in work preferences, the lottery method will be used.
• Candidates will conduct two works they choose, not exceeding 30 minutes in duration.

Finalists will be given 75 minutes of rehearsal time one day before the final concert.