Conducted in Debrecen, Hungary, spanning from August 20 to 28, 2023, the second iteration of the Zoltán Kodály International Music Competition welcomed participants from around the globe, aged 21 to 35, who specialized in conducting.

After the conclusion of the ultimate stage, Alexander Sinan Binder and Mateusz Gwizdalla were both declared joint recipients of the second prize, while Dániel Erdélyi secured the third prize, accompanied by a monetary award of €6,000. Eric Staiger clinched the fourth prize, receiving €4,000, and Jiří Habart attained the fifth prize, entailing a sum of €3,000. Remarkably, the first and sixth prizes in this year's competition were left unassigned.

Handpicked from a pool of 308 candidates originating from 56 distinct countries, the five victors emerged from a group of 30 contenders who participated in the initial round. This initial group included 29 male candidates and one female candidate, with six individuals representing Hungary.

In addition to showcasing their skills with orchestral compositions, the competitors also demonstrated their prowess in performing oratorio and opera excerpts. Notably, the mandatory piece for the final round was Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus, a composition that marked its 100th anniversary in that very year.

Guided by the leadership of Jorma Panula, the panel of judges for the 2023 competition encompassed János Ács, Peter Broadbent, Remy Franck, Zsolt Hamar, Oksana Madarash, and Dániel Somogyi-Tóth.

Dániel Somogyi-Tóth, the general music director of the City of Debrecen, expressed, "The 100th anniversary of the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra coincides with the centenary of Psalmus Hungaricus this year, allowing us to realize our longstanding aspiration of hosting an oratorio-conducting competition in Debrecen. The Zoltán Kodály International Music Competition, initiated last year with resounding success, provides an ideal platform for this endeavor."

Commemorating its 100th anniversary in 2023, the Kodály Philharmonic adopted the name of the renowned composer Zoltán Kodály in 2011. The orchestra is renowned for its performances encompassing symphonic, oratorio, chamber music, and opera at the Csokonai Theatre.

In collaboration with JM International, the first edition of the Kodály International Music Competition in 2022 was exclusively dedicated to violin, viola, and cello performances.