In 2026, Jiajing Lai participated in the La Maestra conducting competition for the second time. Here, she conducts five works, leading two orchestras: the Paris Mozart Orchestra and the Orchestre de Paris.

Prompted by the striking fact that in 2019 only 4.3% of orchestras were led by women, the Philharmonie de Paris and the Paris Mozart Orchestra joined forces. Born of the desire to shatter the “glass ceiling,” La Maestra became the first international competition dedicated exclusively to female conductors.

In 2026, the competition marks its fourth edition. Although the proportion of women leading permanent orchestras has risen to 8%, this springboard remains essential. This year, sixteen candidates from around the world are competing before a prestigious jury chaired by Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv. The competition unfolds in three key stages: two days of preliminary rounds, a semi-final, and a final.