The German nationwide program Conductors’ Forum is a master class intended for younger generation professional conductors. With a view to preparing highly gifted young conductors for future leadership positions in the national and international music world, the program organizes master classes, assistant positions and sponsored concerts for its scholarship holders. The idea of the forum is to facilitate a continual dialogue throughout Germany, between younger generation conductors and renowned conductors.

In implementing its program, the Conductors’ Forum works together with an increasing number of renowned conductors, orchestras, musical theatre ensembles, music academies, and public broadcasting corporations. Today more than one hundred German orchestras are partners of the Conductors’ Forum. Collaboration with international partners completes the widespread program. In the past years the Conductors’ Forum has worked together with the Theater Vanemuine Tartu (Estonia), the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg (France) and the Israel Chamber Orchestra, amongst others. Many Conductors’ Forum alumni now have important positions in German and international musical life. Among them is Gabriel Feltz, chief conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic and musical director of the Dortmund Philharmonic and the Opera in Dortmund.

Grantees can look forward to an extensive program of work with professional orchestras. The main focus is on rehearsals and performances of opera and symphonic music. In addition, the program includes collaboration with ensembles specialized in early and contemporary music.

As of 2017, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra joins this significant project for the first time. The Conductors’ Forum will take place in Belgrade, on 17–21 June 2018, and it will also be the first time that it includes two candidates from Serbia, selected at an audition. They will be mentored by Gabriel Feltz, Chief Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.