The Only Stage international Conducting Competition launches with an entirely on-line competition

A new conducting competition which is open to musicians of any nationality and with no age limit. The Only Stage International Conducting Competition has been created by Only Stage, a London-based artist management company, in cooperation with Classics Management Budapest, and with the support of Arts Council England. 

The competition seems to be the first conducting competition created by an artist management company. They will need to work hard to avoid the suggestion of favouritism (a problem which has dogged a number of competitions recently), but given the calibre of the jury members (see below), this is something that has hopefully been thought of.

Candidates can apply from 8 January 2021 to 15 April 2021, and the results will be announced in May. Judging will be done based on the candidates CV and submitted videos (both of performances and, for the final round, a presentation). 

The jury includes Andrea Amarante - Artistic Director or Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, conductors John Axelrod and Oleg Caetani, Zvonimir Hacko - Artistic Director of Oregon Music Festival, Ruben Jais - Artistic Director of LaVerdi Symphonic Orchestra, Milan, Michael Rosewell - Director of Opera at the Royal College of Music, György Lendvai, Managing Director of MÁV Symphony Orchestra Budapest, Piero Romano - Artistic Director of the Magna Grecia Orchestra.

Full details from the competition website.

Update: the closing date has been extended from 31 March to 15 April 2021.