"The combination of music and competition is odd" says Kim Bohr, Chief Executive and Artistic Advisor of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Nevertheless, the orchestra created the Nicolai Malko Competion For Young Conductors in 1965 to celebrate their first Chief Conductor, the Russian Nicolai Malko.

"The Danish National Symphony Orchestra expressively wants to to support, help and carry a new generation of conductors forward, acknowledging that without great conductors, there can be no great orchestras."