Avery Fisher Career Grant

The Avery Fisher Career Grant is a $25,000 award given annually to up to five emerging classical instrumentalists and chamber ensembles who are US citizens or permanent residents. Administered by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts since 1976, it is one of the most prestigious early-career awards in classical music. There is no application process. A Recommendation Board of conductors, instrumentalists, music educators, composers, managers, and presenters nominates artists, and an Executive Committee makes final selections. Recipients are not aware they are under consideration until they are selected.

How the Avery Fisher Career Grant Works

The program was established in 1974 by Avery Fisher as part of a major gift to Lincoln Center. The Career Grants began in 1976 and have been awarded to 183 artists as of 2026. The Executive Committee includes musicians such as Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill, David Finckel, and Wu Han.

Eligibility

• US citizens or permanent residents
• Classical instrumentalists (soloists or small chamber ensembles, since 2004)
• Emerging artists with significant potential for major careers
• No age limit is published, but recipients are typically in the early stages of their professional careers

Selection Process

Artists do not apply directly. The Recommendation Board nominates candidates based on artistic merit alone. The Executive Committee reviews nominations and selects up to five recipients per year. Nominees have no knowledge they are being considered. The program is committed to all forms of diversity, with selections based entirely on outstanding musical merit.

2026 Recipients

The 2026 Avery Fisher Career Grants were announced on March 24, 2026, at the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WQXR in New York City:

• Leland Ko, cellist (also co-winner of the 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition)
• Nathan Meltzer, violinist
• Keila Wakao, violinist
• Dmitry Yudin, pianist

Award Benefits

• $25,000 cash award to be used for career advancement
• Professional recording of the award ceremony performance for unrestricted use
• Custom-designed rosette as a symbol of the Career Grant
• Ceremony webcast live on WQXR and broadcast on PBS as part of the Taking Note series
• Public recognition that builds industry visibility

Real-World Example

A 24-year-old cellist studying at a major conservatory and building a concert career would not apply for the Avery Fisher Career Grant. Instead, their performances at competitions, recitals, and festivals would need to attract the attention of the Recommendation Board. If nominated and selected, they would receive $25,000 with no restrictions on how to spend it. They could use the funds for a new instrument, recording projects, travel for international auditions, or publicity materials. The ceremony performance at WQXR would be professionally recorded and theirs to use for promotional purposes, and the PBS broadcast would put their playing in front of a national audience.

Past recipients who received the Career Grant early in their careers and went on to win the Avery Fisher Prize ($100,000) include Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Anthony McGill, Gil Shaham, Sarah Chang, and Yuja Wang. The Career Grant has functioned as a reliable predictor of major international careers.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

The Avery Fisher Career Grant is not a scholarship you can apply for. It is an award you earn by performing at a high enough level that the right people notice. This means your job is to build a performance career that attracts attention: enter competitions, play recitals at venues presenters attend, build relationships with conductors and managers, and maintain a public profile.

The $25,000 award is unrestricted, which is rare. Most music awards restrict funds to tuition, instrument purchases, or specific projects. The Career Grant trusts the recipient to know what their career needs. For an emerging soloist, this could mean funding a debut album, commissioning a new work, or covering months of living expenses while preparing for a major competition.

The publicity value exceeds the cash value. The WQXR broadcast and PBS feature put recipients in front of presenters, managers, and audiences nationwide. Past recipients regularly sign with major management within months of receiving the grant.

Things to Consider

• No application process. You cannot apply. You must be nominated by the Recommendation Board, which means your performances need to reach the right audiences.
• US citizenship or permanent residency required. International students on F-1 visas are not eligible.
• Classical instrumentalists only. Singers, composers, and non-classical musicians are not eligible. The program focuses on soloists and chamber ensembles.
• Small cohort. Up to 5 recipients per year from the entire pool of eligible US-based classical instrumentalists. The odds of selection are extremely low without a significant performance profile.
• The Avery Fisher Prize ($100,000) is separate. The Career Grant is for emerging artists. The Prize is for established musicians with a record of artistic achievement and leadership. They are part of the same program but target different career stages.

Related Opportunities

• Naumburg Foundation Competitions for classical musicians who want a competition-based path to career launch
• Concert Artists Guild for emerging classical musicians seeking management and career development
• From the Top for pre-collegiate classical musicians with financial need
• Music Scholarships Directory for the full list of funding opportunities
• Visit the Avery Fisher Artist Program page for official details