Celebrating PMO’s Asian Finalists at La Maestra 2026
We are proud to highlight the achievements of our partner institution, the Paris Mozart Orchestra (PMO), as it announces the finalists for the 2026 edition of La Maestra — the international conducting competition and academy dedicated to women conductors.
With renowned conductors and mentors from around the world supporting its participants, La Maestra — founded by PMO and the Philharmonie de Paris — has become one of the foremost platforms for advancing women in conducting.
This year for the 4th edition, La Maestra received 225 applications from 50 countries — a record number that underscores its global reach and growing prestige. With renowned international conductors and teachers — both men and women — sending recommendation letters in support of the candidates, La Maestra’s global reach is extending with each edition. It is now firmly established as one of the world’s top conducting competitions and academies, promoting excellence, diversity, and opportunity in the field of music leadership.
Among the exceptional musicians selected to compete in Paris next February are three talented Asian conductors:
- Jiajing Lai (China, 34) — Based in Beijing, Lai was a semi-finalist in the inaugural 2020 edition and returns this year as the first two-time La Maestra candidate.
- Sunwoo Jeong (South Korea, 23) — One of the youngest finalists, Jeong is both a conductor and composer, and was a finalist in the Tokyo International Conducting Competition 2024.
- Sukjong Kim (South Korea, 32) — Based in Hamburg, Kim was a semi-finalist in the 2024 Korean National Symphony Orchestra International Competition and comes highly recommended by colleagues in Germany.
Fondation de France Asia is honoured to support PMO’s mission to foster diversity and excellence in music, and to celebrate the Asian artists making their mark on the world stage.
