The Pehlivanian International Conducting Competition (PICC 2026) will take place from November 7–14, 2026, in Festival Hall Bled, Slovenia. Conceived by French–American conductor George Pehlivanian, the competition for orchestral and opera conducting is open worldwide to conductors aged 18 and above, with no upper age limit.

Launched as a philanthropic initiative from the Pehlivanian family, in honor of soprano Dame Arpiné Pehlivanian, the competition welcomes artists at different stages of their careers.

Submissions close on February 25, 2026. To apply, click here. From there, the competition follows a three-step structure with several live orchestra rounds.

The Global Pre-Selection will see live auditions in 15 cities worldwide, including London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Oslo, Ljubljana, Milan, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei. Each city includes a designated local jury alongside George Pehlivanian. Those who cannot travel for valid reasons can submit a video.

From these auditions, up to 144 conductors are invited to the Preliminary Round, held from November 7–9, 2026, and conducted with two pianos. This stage is adjudicated by a special jury of five international conductors: Hossein Pishkar, Rodolfo Barráez, Ibrahim Yazici, Christopher Chen, and George Pehlivanian. From this, 18 finalists are chosen.

The orchestral phase of the competition, from November 10–14, is heard by an international jury consisting of Bill Chandler, Cristina Rocca, Henry Fogel, Marlene Brüggen, Lawrence Foster, Maja Kojc, Umberto Fanni, Ruben Jais, Robert Gilder, Alessandro Ariosi, and George Pehlivanian.

The final week is built around repertoire-based rounds with two partner ensembles: the POA Festival Orchestra and the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. Finalists will progress through Stravinsky, Mozart, opera, concerto, and symphonic programs.

The event will culminate with a public Final Concert and Awards Ceremony on November 14, 2026.

The PICC is awarding a total of $75,000 in cash prizes to selected winners and finalists, including a $50,000 Grand Prize.

In addition to financial awards, selected conductors receive guest conducting engagements with partner orchestras, potential assistant conductor or guest invitations with partner opera houses, a recording project with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra through the Orchestra Prize, and personal mentorship from Maestro George Pehlivanian.

"What inspired me to start this competition is the belief that conductors deserve meaningful opportunities at every stage of their artistic development," George Pehlivanian told The Violin Channel. "Conducting doesn’t follow a single timeline, and it was important to me to create a competition that reflects that reality.”

The competition will also be held alongside a three-day Sustainable Career Development Conference, held from November 7–9, 2026, in Festival Hall Bled and livestreamed worldwide on the official PICC YouTube channel.

Around 30 invited speakers are expected, with names and session titles to be announced closer to the event. The conference will bring together professionals from several parts of the classical music industry: orchestras, festivals, artist agencies, conservatories, cultural networks, social media experts, and the tax and legal sectors. The event will combine keynote talks, focused discussions, and opportunities for reflection. To learn more, click here.