Fondation de France/Conservatoire de Paris - Drouet-Bourgeois Award

Drouet-Bourgeois Award

You will receive a one-off prize of 2,500 EUR if you are studying the violin or piano at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP), France’s leading state academy of music and dance. Every year, the Fondation Drouet-Bourgeois awards two prizes: the ‘Prix Marc Bourgeois’ for a young violinist and the ‘Prix Pierre Bourgeois’ for a young pianist. The money helps you cover your expenses so that you can concentrate fully on practising.

Who can apply

• Institution: You’re studying at the CNSMDP in Paris.
• Instrument: You play the violin (Prix Marc Bourgeois) or the piano (Prix Pierre Bourgeois).
• Musical level: You’re one of the strongest young players at the school.
• Financial need: You need money to fund your studies.
• Nationality and gender: Anyone can win, regardless of their nationality or gender.

How to apply

You cannot apply yourself. An internal committee at the Conservatoire, chaired by the Director, selects the prize-winners. The prizes are awarded each year at the Fondation de France’s ‘Concert des lauréats’ at the CNSMDP.

How realistic are your chances?

One prize is awarded per instrument, and these are restricted to violin and piano students at a single Parisian conservatoire; consequently, whilst the pool of eligible candidates is small, the standard is very high. As it is not possible to apply, the selection committee chooses the best students from the school who are also in need of financial support. If you are an outstanding violinist or pianist at the CNSMDP and can demonstrate that you require financial support, you have a realistic chance of being considered.