Funding

The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation is dedicated to supporting contemporary music through a range of initiatives. In addition to the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which honours exceptional lifetime achievement, the foundation also awards three annual composition prizes. These prizes are granted based on nominations and at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees.

Project funding

At the core of the Foundation’s funding initiatives is its global support for projects in contemporary music. This includes funding for festivals, world premieres and revivals, composition commissions, academies, music education programs, symposia and musicological publications.
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Next application deadline for project funding: March 1, 2026
Applications can be submitted from January 1, 2026.

Funding for Youth Projects

From 2025, the Foundation is focusing on funding for youth projects. Twenty musical projects aimed at children and young people will be funded with € 25,000 each year. Projects will be supported in which young people are actively engaged in creating and shaping the projects, as well as those focused on teaching musical content to children and young audiences.
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Next application deadline for Special Funding for Youth Projects: October 15, 2025
Applications can be submitted from July 1, 2025.

Ensemble Prizes

In addition to project funding and the advancement of young talent, young contemporary music ensembles can apply to the foundation for an Ensemble Prize. Each year, the foundation supports two ensembles as individually and sustainably as possible in their artistic and structural development.
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Next application deadline for project funding: March 1, 2026
Applications can be submitted from January 1, 2026.