Since 1988 the Guild at its national conference has presented three categories of awards, two of them annually: 1) to a conductor who has made a significant lifetime contribution to the art and to the education of young conductors; 2) to a conductor in recognition of outstanding achievement as both conductor and pedagogue, with significant service to the profession in the realms of scholarship, advocacy and/or orchestra building; and 3) a scholarship/award (presented biannually) to the outstanding participant from the preceding two seasons of conductor training workshops, to be used for career-related expenses or advanced conducting study.

The Theodore Thomas Award is presented biennially to a conductor in recognition of outstanding achievement as a conductor and extraordinary service to one's colleagues in advancing the art and science of conducting, reflecting honor upon our profession. Past recipients have included:

1988 - Max Rudolf
1989 - Leonard Bernstein
1990 - Leon Barzin
1991 - Sir Georg Solti
1992 - Maurice Abravanel
1993 - Robert Shaw
1994 - Frederick Fennell
1995 - Margaret Hillis
1996 - Pierre Boulez
1997 - Leonard Slatkin
1998 - Kurt Masur
2000 - Claudio Abbado
2002 - James Levine
2004 - Michael Tilson Thomas
2006 - David Zinman
2008 - Marin Alsop
2010 - Esa-Pekka Salonen

The Max Rudolf Award is presented biennially in recognition of outstanding achievement as a conductor and pedagogue, and significant service to the profession in the realms of scholarship, advocacy and/or ensemble building. This award was established by the Conductors Guild in 1997 in memory of Max Rudolf - a longtime supporter of the Guild, conducting pedagogue and scholar. Past recipients have included:

1997 - Gunther Schuller
1999 - Gustav Meier
2001 - Otto-Werner Mueller
2003 - David M. Epstein
2005 - Daniel Lewis
2007 - Herbert Blomstedt
2009 - Paul Vermel

The Thelma A. Robinson Award is a scholarship/award sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs and presented biennially to an outstanding participant from the preceding two seasons of Conductors Guild conductor training workshops for career-related expenses or advanced conducting study. Past Recipients have included:

1990 - Miriam Burns
1992 - Steven Martyn Zike
1994 - Laura Rexroth
1996 - Beatrice Jona Affron
1998 - Annunziata Tomaro
2000 - Eric Bell
2002 - Kevin Geraldi
2004 - Carolyn Kuan
2006 - Octavio Mas-Arocas
2008 - Katherine Kilburn