Following two successful editions, the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) is pleased to announce the participants of the new edition of the AEC–ECSA–EJN–JMI Mentorship Programme, a European initiative supporting young female and non-binary composers, songwriters, and musicians at the early stages of their professional careers.

Starting its engines for this new edition, the programme is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission and jointly developed by AEC, ECSA – European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, EJN – Europe Jazz Network, and JMI – Jeunesses Musicales International. Building on the experience gained during previous mentorship cycles during the ARTEMIS project, the programme continues to place mentorship at the centre of sustainable professional development in the music sector.

The Mentorship Programme is designed as an introduction to the professional music industry, offering mentees tailored guidance, artistic exchange, and international networking opportunities. Through one-to-one mentoring relationships with well-established female professionals, the programme promotes role modelling, knowledge transfer, and long-term career empowerment, with the overarching aim of strengthening gender equality and diversity within the European music ecosystem.

This year’s mentors and mentees have been carefully selected and matched across three genre areas, in close collaboration with the programme’s partner organisations:

 

Contemporary classical music

(Mentors appointed by the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance – ECSA)

  • Marion Chalampalaki (mentee) – Age Veeroos (mentor)
  • Niki Main (mentee) – Seung-Won Oh (mentor)
  • Abigail Prián Gallardo (mentee) – Sorana Santos (mentor)

Folk, world, and traditional music

(Mentors appointed by Jeunesses Musicales International – JMI, through its Ethno programme)

  • Aikaterini Kasapidou (mentee) – Karoliine-Lisette Kõiv (mentor) 
  • Sarra Douik (mentee) – Eduardo Scaramuzza (mentor) 
  • Margarita Luisa Maposse (mentee) – Lamija Šarić Margarita (mentor) 

Jazz and creative, improvised music

(Mentors appointed by the Europe Jazz Network – EJN)

  • Anna Regina Kalk (mentee) – Patricia Pascal (mentor)
  • Sol Jang (mentee) – Tania Giannouli (mentor) 
  • Laura Benedek (mentee) – Günsu Yeşilyaprak (mentor) 

 

A total of 110 were submitted by aspiring mentees from across Europe and beyond. Applications were reviewed by a Selection Committee composed of members of the AEC, Kai Kiiv (as representative from REMAM), Tuan Hao-Tan, Iro Menegou, Karine Hahn, in their capacity of the AEC DEI Allies in close dialogue with partner organisations. 

Selection and matching criteria focused on geographical diversity, level of professional experience, balance between composers and songwriters, and genre-specific expertise, ensuring meaningful and impactful mentoring relationships.

The programme will officially begin with a kick-off meeting in Helsinki on 12 February 2026, held within the framework of the AEC Pop and Jazz Platform 2026, marking the first point of contact between mentors and mentees.

Through this new edition, the AEC–ECSA–EJN–JMI Mentorship Programme reaffirms its commitment to supporting professional development, artistic exchange, and international collaboration, while actively contributing to a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse European music sector.