The Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music offers two major international prizes biennially.
The Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition honors composers with a cash award of $150,000. The Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance recognizes pianists with a $75,000 cash award. The winners of both awards come to the Northwestern campus for a series of residencies, where they interact with Bienen School students and faculty as well as perform.