The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University will serve as a host partner for a major new international conducting competition announced Jan. 22 by the Cliburn.
The Cliburn International Competition for Conductors will launch in June 2028 in Houston in partnership with the Houston Symphony and the Shepherd School. Open to conductors ages 21 to 35, the event will be the first major international conducting competition in North America.
“The Shepherd School is thrilled to join our partners in launching this major new conducting competition,” said Matthew Loden, the Lynette S. Autrey Dean of Music. “From its earliest days, the Shepherd School has been deeply committed to training young conductors, who study with distinguished faculty such as the late Larry Rachleff and now Miguel Harth-Bedoya. We are eager to host conducting talent from around the world in 2028, and we’re proud to be part of launching this next generation of musical leadership.”
Marin Alsop will serve as jury chair for the inaugural competition. Alsop, one of the foremost conductors of her generation, previously led the finals of the 2022 and 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions. Shepherd’s Harth-Bedoya will join Alsop and other renowned conductors on the competition’s artistic advisory committee. The Houston Symphony will perform with all competitors throughout the competition.
As part of the multiround process, the Shepherd School will host a live screening round in early 2028. Up to 25 conductors will be invited to campus following an initial review of online applications and video submissions. From that group, 12 competitors will be selected to advance to the public competition rounds in June 2028, which will take place at both the Shepherd School and Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, home of the Houston Symphony.
The competition will award one grand prize of $50,000, along with concert opportunities and professional publicity support. Each finalist will receive a $20,000 cash award. All competition rounds will be open to the public, and the Cliburn will livestream the event to its global audience.
The new conducting competition expands the Cliburn’s four-year cycle, which already includes the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition. Applications for the conducting competition will open in October 2026 and will be due in November 2027.
Additional details about the competition schedule, repertoire and jury will be announced by the Cliburn in advance of the 2028 event.