SUSTAINABLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
Livestreamed Worldwide on YouTube
Speakers: TBA (approx. 30 expected)
Description
The Sustainable Career Development Conference takes place within the framework of the Pehlivanian International Conducting Competition 2026, bringing together professionals from every part of the global classical music ecosystem.
Held over three days in Festival Hall Bled and streamed live to audiences worldwide, the Conference gathers around 30 leading professionals and experts from orchestras, festivals, artist agencies, conservatories, cultural networks, and the tax and legal sectors.
Its purpose is clear: to open an honest conversation about how classical music can remain a thriving, fair, and sustainable field in the twenty-first century. The focus is not only on artistic excellence but on the conditions that make artistic life possible — from education and management to policy, funding, and mobility.
Structured as a moderated professional forum, the event combines concise keynote talks, focused discussions, and interactive reflections connecting speakers, moderators, and participants both in the hall and online.
Purpose and Vision
The Conference stands at the heart of the Pehlivanian International Conducting Competition’s wider mission: to strengthen the foundations of the global classical music profession through knowledge, cooperation, and shared responsibility.
It starts from a simple truth — no artist works alone. Every career in classical music is shaped by relationships: with mentors, institutions, audiences, and the frameworks that govern artistic work.
The discussions will connect multiple perspectives across this ecosystem:
- Educators and mentors – on leadership, resilience, and long-term professional growth.
- Musicians and ensembles – on creativity, collaboration, and artistic development.
- Orchestras, festivals, and agencies – on talent discovery, cooperation, and opportunity.
- Policy and funding bodies – on mobility, equity, and sustainable cultural structures.
- Tax and legal experts – on the realities of cross-border work and fiscal responsibility.
Together, these voices will define what sustainability means for the future of classical music — not as a concept, but as a shared commitment to fairness, collaboration, and vision.
Programme Overview
The three-day programme will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, and moderated reflections focusing on sustainability, fairness, and mobility across the global classical music ecosystem.
Detailed session titles and speakers will be announced closer to the event.
Speakers: TBA (approx. 30 expected)
Livestream
All sessions will be broadcast live on the official PICC YouTube channel and remain available for replay.
The livestream will feature professional production, real-time moderation, and short visual interludes from Festival Hall Bled and the Competition, connecting in-person and online audiences worldwide.
Why It Matters
The Sustainable Career Development Conference is more than a series of discussions — it is a call to reimagine how the classical music world works.
By bringing together approximately 30 experts and professionals from across continents and disciplines, the Conference promotes dialogue, fairness, and collaboration between those who educate, create, manage, and support music.
It affirms a shared belief: that the future of classical music depends not only on great artistry, but on strong systems, ethical leadership, and collective vision.
Practical Information
“This conference is about connecting the people and systems that make music possible — from the rehearsal room to the policymaking table. Our goal is to build understanding, transparency, and collaboration across the entire classical music ecosystem,” said Mr. & Mrs. Pehlivanian.
