AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship

Young Conductors spend one month at the Salzburg Festival, observing the world’s leading conductors and artists.

“There was not one standout moment during my stay in Salzburg, rather an incredible culmination of countless rehearsals and performances by the world's top orchestras, conductors and soloists, all gathered in a festival environment surrounded by musical experts and amateur music lovers. The opportunities for learning, growth and networking are unmatched, and all in an incredibly beautiful natural environment.”
Andrew Crust
Conductor

Nurturing Artistic Brilliance

The AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship provides promising young conductors (age 30 or younger) from the United States the opportunity to spend up to four weeks at the Salzburg Festival, observing the world’s leading conductors and artists at work during rehearsals and performances.

The Salzburg Festival, founded in August 1920 by Max Reinhard and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, is the benchmark for all music festivals worldwide. Every year unique opera and concert productions bring together the world’s finest conductors, singers, and musicians.

Fellows stay at Schloss Arenberg, located a mere ten minutes from the festival hall, where they are able to interact with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, who reside at Schloss Arenberg during July and August.

The American Austrian Foundation has administered this program since 1998, with support from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Salzburg Festival. It is funded through the generosity of AAF treasurer and trustee Karl Heinz Faber and his wife Edith.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship:

Timothy Tianyi Ren 

Master of Music Candidate

The New England Conservatory of Music 

Ezra Calvino

Master of Music Arts, Orchestral Conducting Candidate

Yale University School of Music 

AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship – Application

The application cycle for 2024 is closed. We will begin accepting applications for the next cycle in early 2025. Please check back then for more details.      

Please submit any inquiries to aafconductors@americanaustrianfoundation.org. No telephone calls, please.