AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship
Young Conductors spend one month at the Salzburg Festival, observing the world’s leading conductors and artists.
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 2025 AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship:
MM Orchestral Conducting ’24
Conservatoire de Paris
MM Orchestral Conducting ’20
Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University
AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship – Application
Qualified young conductors who have recently finished their academic studies or who are working toward graduate diplomas in conducting at top-ranking American music schools, up to the age of 30, may apply.
Proficiency in English is required; working knowledge of German is desirable. Non-US citizens are welcome to apply if they are a student or a recent graduate of an American music program. Please note that if a non-US citizen is selected, they will be responsible for acquiring a visa if necessary, and the AAF is not responsible for fees associated with acquiring the visa, etc.
THE APPLICATION CYCLE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED. PLEASE CHECK BACK IN SPRING 2026 FOR INFORMATION.
Please submit any inquiries to aafconductors@americanaustrianfoundation.org. No telephone calls, please.
