La Maestra 2026: winners announced in Paris

The 2026 edition of La Maestra, the international competition for women conductors, concluded on 28 February at the Philharmonie de Paris, where the four finalists led both the Paris Mozart Orchestra and the Orchestre de Paris.

The jury awarded First Prize to Slovenian conductor Mojca Lavrenčič, with Jiajing Lai (China) receiving Second Prize and Alizé Léhon (France) Third Prize. The fourth finalist was American conductor Molly Turner.

Lavrenčič, 33, entered the competition as a last-minute replacement following the withdrawal of another candidate, and went on to receive not only the First Prize but also several Special Prizes: the International Orchestras Committee Prize, the ECHO Committee Prize (European Concert Hall Organisation), the French Concert Halls and Orchestras Committee Prize, the Orchestre de Paris Musicians’ Prize, and the ARTE Committee Prize.

A competition with a mission

Created in 2019 by the Philharmonie de Paris and the Paris Mozart Orchestra, La Maestra was conceived as both a competition and an academy designed to support women conductors over a two-year period. It is co-directed by Claire Gibault, artistic director of the Paris Mozart Orchestra, and Olivier Mantei, general manager of the Philharmonie de Paris.

Since its first edition in 2020, followed by further competitions in 2022 and 2024, La Maestra has positioned itself as one of the most visible platforms dedicated specifically to advancing women on the podium.

The initiative responds to a persistent imbalance in the profession. According to a study prepared for La Maestra 2024, women led 4.3% of orchestras worldwide in 2018, rising to 8% in recent years. In France, the proportion of women heading permanent orchestras increased from 2.7% in 2019 to 12.5% in 2023 — a marked improvement, though still far from parity.

By combining financial awards, professional engagements and sustained mentoring through its Academy, La Maestra aims not only to highlight emerging talent but also to reinforce structural change within the orchestral world.