Estonian conductor Henri Christofer Aavik has won the German Conducting Award 2025, organised by the Deutscher Musikrat (German Music Council) and held in Cologne from 14 to 20 October. The competition, open to conductors under 33, is one of Germany’s most prestigious platforms for emerging talent.
Luis Toro Araya (Chile) received the second prize, while Friedrich Praetorius (Germany) was awarded third prize. Aavik also earned the Kurt Masur Audience Award, voted by the public attending the final concert at the Kölner Philharmonie.
The finalists worked with the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, the WDR Sinfonieorchester, and singers from Oper Köln, performing both orchestral and operatic repertoire.
Established by the Deutscher Musikrat, the competition is supported by the City of Cologne and the Forum Dirigieren. It offers young conductors the opportunity to work with major ensembles and gain visibility within the European music scene. Previous winners include Martijn Dendievel (2021) and Dayner Tafur-Díaz (2023).
Subscribe to our newsletter