Müpa Budapest, in collaboration with Hungarian public media and international partners, will launch the Solti International Conducting Competition.

The event, set for  Oct. 1–10, 2026, will spotlight emerging conducting talents aged 18 to 35, opening up early career exposure on Hungary’s leading stages.

“Sir Georg Solti embodied passion and precision, which made him one of the greatest and most charismatic conductors of the 20th century. He started out as a student of Bartók, Dohnányi, and Kodály, but his work – recognised with over 30 Grammy Awards – and his years at the helm of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra turned him into a legend in his own right. His personality is revered on all the world’s stages as the embodiment of excellence and inspired artistry,” said Csaba Káel, CEO of Müpa Budapest, per an official press release.

The competition’s three rounds will be held across major Hungarian venues, including the Kodály Center in Pécs, the Liszt Academy, and the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall at Müpa Budapest. There will be performances by the Pannon Philharmonic, Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Hungarian National Philharmonic. All rounds will be broadcast on Hungarian public media channels M5 and Bartók Radio, with online content offering behind-the-scenes insight into the contestants’ journeys.

The jury will be chaired by Pinchas Steinberg and will also feature such renowned conductors as Roberto Abbado, Tibor Bogányi, Mei-Ann Chen, Mikko Franck, Domonkos Héja, Roberto Paternostro, Anu Tali, and György Vashegyi.

Applications open Dec. 1, 2025, and close March 20, 2026. Preliminary selections will run through June 2026, leading to the public rounds in October. The awards gala is set to take place on Oct. 10, 2026, at Müpa Budapest.

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