Fondation Prix Monique Gabus - Monique Gabus Bursaries

Benefit

You will receive a music composition prize, which is awarded annually to female composers. It is presented in two categories: the Prix d'Écriture Monique Gabus for music writing and the Prix de Composition Musicale Monique Gabus for composition. The prize honours women who have trained in the composition classes at one of France’s leading conservatoires. The sources do not specify a fixed monetary amount. In 2025, 10 women received the prize during a ceremony on 9 April at the Conservatoire de Paris. The Fondation Prix Monique Gabus awards the prize in collaboration with the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) under the auspices of the Fondation de France.

Eligibility

• Where you study: You attended courses in musical composition (écriture) or composition at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP).
• Gender: You are a woman.
• Age: You are at 40 on 1 January of the year in which the prize is awarded.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome. The 2025 winners came from many different countries.
• Selection basis: Selection is based on the quality of your work and on social criteria.

How to apply

There is no open application process. The Conservatoire de Paris selects the prize-winners from amongst its own composition students. The Fondation de France does not accept individual applications for this prize.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize has very strict eligibility criteria: you must be a female composer under the age of 40 who has trained in composition or music theory at a specific conservatoire, meaning that the pool of eligible candidates is small. As the conservatoire selects the prize-winners itself and there is no open call for applications, your chances depend on your performance in these subjects. If you are studying composition there and your work stands out, a place is well within your reach, as 10 women were honoured in the year 2025.