The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award
$30,000 - The largest prize currently awarded to American conductors in the formative years of their professional careers. The prestigious grant is given annually to a single promising American conductor age 36 years or younger. The award, also known as The Solti Conducting Fellow, includes ongoing professional mentoring and introductions to two of Chicago’s most established performing arts organizations: Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Past recipients include François López-Ferrer (2024), Keitaro Harada (2023), Earl Lee (2022), Gemma New (2021), Aram Demirjian (2020), Yaniv Dinur (2019), Roderick Cox (2018), Christopher Allen (2017), Karina Canellakis (2016), Vladimir Kulenovic (2015), Cristian Macelaru (2014), James Feddeck (2013), Case Scaglione (2011), Eric Nielsen (2009), and Anthony Barrese (2007).
Prior to 2013 and a significant increase in support from sponsors and individual donors, the Foundation’s top awards included:
Solti Foundation U.S. Award
$12,500 Received by Eric Melear (2006), Carlos Cezar Rodriguez (2005), and Thomas Rimes (2004).
Prior to the Foundation’s announcement to exclusively focus on American conductors, the first awards granted by the Solti Foundation U.S. were to Quinn Kelsey and Stacy Tappan (2003).
The Emerging Conductor Award
$10,000 - Received by Cristian Macelaru (2012) and Ryan McAdams (2010).
Career Assistance Awards
All applications from The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award are considered for a Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award. Applications are reviewed by the Artistic & Awards Committee, comprised of a panel of professionals with broad musical and conducting experience.
The Solti Foundation U.S. is currently the only American Foundation to grant these kinds of awards each year to young American conductors. Citizens or permanent residents of the United States, 36 years of age or younger, who are career-ready artists in the field of conducting are eligible to apply. Applicants for all Solti Foundation U.S. awards must be able to demonstrate a developing career as a symphonic/operatic conductor. The Foundation reserves the right to withhold a grant in any given year if the Artistic & Awards Committee does not find suitable applicants in one or more of the various award categories.
Dayton Philharmonic
Keitaro Harada, Music and Artistic Director
2023 Solti Fellow
Keitaro Harada, 2023 Solti Fellow; Music and Artistic Director Designate of the Dayton Philharmonic,, Music Director of the Savannah Philharmonic and Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.
“When you’re in the arts industry, you have other people that inspire you, other people who challenge you, other people you might be jealous of. The tendency naturally is to compare yourself with others. But that’s not the important thing in life, and especially as an artist, it’s becoming who you must be, knowing that and then working diligently every day to hone your craft to be that person, unaffected by others.”