International Alliance for Women in Music

Conductor Awards

The J. Michele Edwards Conductor Award is open to any conductor, or performing ensembles that are current members of IAWM.

IAWM Conductor Awards

Sponsored by J. Michele Edwards, The International Alliance for Women in Music offers an annual $500 award and recognition program to honor and endorse those conductors who have made deliberate, conscious efforts to achieve greater gender equity in their programming by including women/non-binary composers and/or performers. Conductors of any ensembles, including multi-organizational and guest conductors, may apply for these awards.

Apply Here

2026 IAWM Conductor Awards Criteria and Process

Eligibility: Who may apply?

Open To:   Any conductor of ensembles that are members of IAWM. Applicants who are not current members may join at iawm.org as individual, joint, or institutional members.

  • Conductors of any professional, collegiate, community, or youth ensemble may apply; this includes Wind Ensemble, Band, Opera, Choir, Ballet, as well as Orchestra.
  • Conductors of any gender who are working to improve gender equality in their programming and/or ensembles are encouraged to apply.
  • Conductors who may be affiliated with multiple ensembles and/or are sought as guest conductors
  • Applicants may not be a member of the IAWM Board or a family member of anyone on the board of the IAWM.
  • Applicants give consent for their application content, name, photo, and organizational information to be published in communications by IAWM.

Applicants must submit their materials in New Music Engine: by June 30, 2026.

 

Review

Applications will be adjudicated and evaluated on a 100-point scale using the following criteria:

Applicant submits 2-4 years of program information, including copies of programs and/or links to YouTube performances or streaming performances. (25 points)

Applicant submits a summary of program content. This should include a percentage of works composed by women, and/or performed by women each season, with the duration of rehearsal/length of performance devoted to those works, as well as the frequency with which those programs occur in each season. (25 points)

The applicant gives a 300-800 word summary statement about their commitment to equity in programming, what methods or goals they use to achieve greater equity in programming, and what current and future goals they have set for their organization. (50 points)

In writing the application, it may be helpful to think about the following questions:

1. How many years have I demonstrated a sustained commitment to programming works written by women, and/or non-binary composers and how has this commitment developed over time? 

2. What is the  percent of works/time devoted to women composers in my programs? How does that shape my seasonal programming?

3. Do I actively seek out performers and composers  from a diverse pool of women of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds? How does this diversity reflect and/or impact the community in which my ensemble operates?

4. When I program women composers, do I ensure that they are getting adequate and equitable media coverage in our printed and online materials and in interviews?

5. For conductors working with multiple organizations, associate conductors. or those with a large percentage of guest conducting roles: How often am I involved in programming where I am not the primary conductor?

6. How has my work as a conductor, both on the podium and through various projects and initiatives I lead, contributed to the professional development of women musicians, composers and/or conductors?

Awards

Awards and honorees will be announced by August 31, 2026. Awards and honorees will be featured on the IAWM website, the IAWM Journal, and IAWM networks. The IAWM may choose to designate individual conductors as honorable mentions (with no financial award).