Tag: Prizes and Awards

Palm Beach Symphony Gives Prize-winning Student Musicians Professional-Level Instruments

Posted on March 2, 2026 by - News Briefs

In Friday’s (2/27) Boca Raton Patch (Florida), Paige Feigenbaum writes, “Three talented high school seniors from Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach have received Palm Beach Symphony’s 2026 Lisa Bruna B-Major Award. Violinist Michael Li was awarded first place, pianist Josefina Ezcurra placed second and violinist Elias Cohen placed third. As their prize, they’ve each been gifted new professional level instruments to use for college auditions and future music career endeavors…. ‘We are incredibly proud of these three outstanding students, who have distinguished themselves academically and musically while also giving back to their community…’ said Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont…. Violinist Michael Li received an Alexandru Ozon violin and a Archet SLC gold mounted bow…. Palm Beach Symphony gifted Josefina Ezcurra with a Yamaha P525 keyboard and all essential equipment and accessories…. Violinist Elias Cohen … received a John Weisberg violin made in 2022, a Marco Raposo silver mounted bow and a Bam case. … To qualify for the Lisa Bruna B-Major Award, each student must be a graduating high school senior who resides in Palm Beach County, demonstrates financial need, and intends to major in music and pursue their undergraduate studies.”

2026 Classical Grammy Awards Announced

Posted on February 2, 2026 by - News Briefs

The 2026 Grammy Awards were announced on Sunday, February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The awards honor the best recordings, compositions, artists, and engineers from September 2024 to August 2025, as voted on by the members of the Recording Academy. The Grammy Awards site at https://www.grammy.com/ lists nominees and winners in all categories. Below are the winners in the Classical and Classical Producers and Engineers categories.

Best Orchestral Performance
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie – Andris Nelsons, conductor; Boston Symphony Orchestra

Best Classical Compendium
Ortiz: Yanga – Gabriela Ortiz, composer; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Dmitriy Lipay, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Ortiz: Dzonot – Gabriela Ortiz, composer; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Alisa Weilerstein, cello; Los Angeles Philharmonic

Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos – Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Andris Nelsons, conductor; Boston Symphony Orchestra

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Telemann: Ino – Opera Arias for Soprano – Amanda Forsythe, vocalist; Robert Mealy, Paul O’Dette, and Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra

Best Opera Recording
Heggie: Intelligence – Jake Heggie, composer; Gene Scheer, libretto; Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges, and Janai Brugger, vocalists; Houston Grand Opera; Blanton Alspaugh, producer

Best Choral Performance
Ortiz: Yanga – Gabriela Ortiz, composer; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master; Los Angeles Philharmonic and Tambuco Percussion Ensemble; Los Angeles Master Chorale

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Dennehy: Land of Winter – Donnacha Dennehy, composer; Alan Pierson, conductor; Alarm Will Sound

Best Engineered Album, Classical
Cerrone: Don’t Look Down – Christopher Cerrone, composer; Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer; Sandbox Percussion

Producer of the Year, Classical
Elaine Martone: For work on albums featuring the Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and others.

Winners Chosen at 2026 Sphinx Competition

Posted on January 28, 2026 by - News Briefs

In Sunday’s (1/25) Strad, an unbylined article reports, “The finals of the 2026 Sphinx Competition were held on 23 and 24 January in Detroit, MI. Three finalists in each of the Junior and Senior divisions performed for their chance to win prizes worth more than $100,000. In the Senior division, cellist Andres Sanchez won the Robert Frederick Smith Prize, worth $50,000. Second place went to violinist Sophie Ayer, who received $20,000, while third place of $10,000 went to bassist Taylor Abbitt. Abbitt also received the Audience Choice prize, worth $5,000…. In the Junior division, violinist Alette Williams won first prize of $10,000. Cellist Sofia Hernandez-Williams took second prize of $5,000, while cellist Sonya Moomaw took third prize of $3,000…. Both first-prize winners will also receive solo appearances with major orchestras. The Sphinx Competition, held every year in Detroit, MI, is a national competition for string musicians, that transforms lives by celebrating the artistic talent, providing career advancement opportunities and addressing systemic obstacles within Black and Latino communities. The 2026 Sphinx Competition jury comprised Leon Bosch, Sterling Elliott, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Philippe Quint and Martin Sher.”

Renée Fleming Withdraws from Kennedy Center Concerts with National Symphony Orchestra

Posted on January 26, 2026 by - News Briefs

In Friday’s (1/23) New York Times, Jason M. Bailey writes, “The soprano Renée Fleming will not be part of two scheduled performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts … Fleming, one of the world’s great opera singers, resigned as an artistic adviser to the Kennedy Center nearly one year ago. Since the center’s board of directors decided last month to add President Trump’s name to the building, several artists have cut ties…. Ms. Fleming and the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday evening. The center’s website said that she had withdrawn from two May concerts with the orchestra ‘due to a scheduling conflict’ and that a new performer would be announced. When she stepped down as an artistic adviser, Ms. Fleming said … ‘I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country.’… In May, she performed at the Kennedy Center during the Washington National Opera’s annual gala. The opera recently announced it was leaving the arts center.” The National Symphony Orchestra’s May 29-30 performances, to be conducted by Jams Gaffigan, feature works by Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, and others.

Cliburn Competition Adds New Category: Conductors

Posted on January 23, 2026 by - News Briefs

In Thursday’s (1/22) KERA (Texas), Marcheta Fornoff writes, “Europe and Asia have major international conducting competitions—and, soon, North America will get one too. The first Cliburn International Competition for Conductors will take place in 2028 in Houston. The Fort Worth organization is best known for its international piano competition, named for Van Cliburn, the Texas pianist who won the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow at the height of the Cold War. The competition is a major career launchpad for young pianists around the world, and it draws top talent to Fort Worth every four years. Marin Alsop will be the jury chair for the first conducting competition…. She also conducted the final rounds for the past two Van Cliburn International Competitions. Alsop helped inspire the new competition, said Cliburn CEO and President Jacques Marquis…. The competition will be hosted in partnership with the Houston Symphony and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University…. ‘I think it will really remove some of the barriers that face the younger generations of conductors,’ Alsop said…. Up to 25 applicants ages 21-35 will be selected for live auditions, and twelve will be invited to participate in the June 2028 competition. Applications for the new competition will open in October 2026.”

La Maestra Competition for Women Conductors to Take Place February 23-28 in Paris

Posted on January 23, 2026 by - News Briefs

In Tuesday’s (1/20) Musical America, Sarah Shay writes, “The Philharmonie de Paris will be the site of the 4th edition of La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors, from February 23–28, 2026. The biennial event, presented by the Paris Mozart Orchestra and the Philharmonie de Paris, aims to strengthen a commitment to support women conductors, offering significant cash awards complemented by an Academy providing professional guidance and support to the laureates over a two-year period. Sixteen conductors, with an average age of 28, were selected from among 225 applicants to participate in the competition…. The candidates will take turns conducting the Paris Mozart Orchestra over the course of five days, reducing the field first to eight semi-finalists and then to four finalists…. All four will conduct the Orchestre de Paris, on Friday and Saturday February 27 and 28…. Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv will chair the jury, which includes, among others, Claire Gibault, Wayne Marshall, Vineta Sareika, Matías Tarnopolsky, Fabienne Voisin, and Philipp von Steinaecker. The competition will award cash prizes of … €20,000, €10,000, and €5,000 … Finalists and semi-finalists will also benefit from a personalized mentoring program.”

Applications Open for Young Concert Artists’ 2026 Fellowship

Posted on January 22, 2026 by - News Briefs

Young Concert Artists has opened applications for the Young Concert Artists 2026 Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, which selects exceptional early-career musical artists to receive the YCA Jacobs Fellowship. The three-year program offers artist management services with performance engagements around the globe, debut recitals presented by YCA in New York City and Washington D.C., training in education and community engagement, portfolio assets, and ongoing mentorship by YCA leadership and alumni. The application deadline is Monday, August 3, 2026. Preliminary audition rounds will be held in New York and Los Angeles in September 2026, with the final round on November 8, 2026, at Merkin Hall in New York City. Winners will be announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, preceding the Winners Concert that evening. A jury of musicians and classical music industry leaders will select three to four artists to join the YCA roster and receive the YCA Jacobs Fellowship, along with up to three additional finalists receiving Laureate Prizes. While Laureate Prize recipients do not join the YCA roster for the current cycle, they receive a $5,000 artist development grant and an invitation to return for future auditions. In addition, YCA will select an ensemble-in-residence that will receive the Jacobs Fellowship and its resources. Learn more at https://yca.org/auditions/.

Musical America Names 2026 Honorees

Posted on December 16, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Tuesday’s (12/16) Musical America, Susan Elliott writes, “Coincident with the release of its 2026 International Directory of the Performing Arts, Musical America has announced the winners of its annual awards. The Artist of the Year is pianist Emanuel Ax, with Gabriela Lena Frank tapped as Composer of the Year, Jakub Hruša as Conductor of the Year, Gerald Finley as Vocalist of the Year, and Martha Gilmer as Impresario of the Year. ‘Every one of these individuals has a notable record of exceptional contributions to the performing arts,’ said Musical America Publisher Stephanie Challener…. Founded as a weekly newspaper in 1898, Musical America through the years has appeared in a variety of formats. Today, it is both the International Directory of the Performing Arts and MusicalAmerica.com. The annual Directory … features over 14,000 detailed listings of worldwide arts organizations, with over 8,000 artists … The first Directory was published in 1960, which is also when the tradition of choosing a Musician/Artist of the Year began.” The article includes a brief biography of each of this year’s honorees.

Composer Liza Lim Wins 2026 Grawemeyer Award

Posted on December 2, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Tuesday’s (11/2) Limelight (Sydney, Australia), Maddy Briggs writes, “Australian composer Liza Lim has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. Presented by the University of Louisville [Kentucky], the award is among the world’s richest classical music honors, with a cash prize of $100,000 USD. Lim has earned the award for her new cello concerto, A Sutured World. Written for German-French cellist Nicolas Atstaedt, the work was co-commissioned by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO), the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Amsterdam Cello Biennale and Casa da Músico Porto. It earned its world premiere in October 2024 with the BRSO, and its Australian premiere with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in March 2025…. Currently Composer-in-Residence with the MSO and Casa da Músico Porto, Lim is the recipient of the 2026 Roche Commission, which sees her writing a new work to be premiered at the 2026 Lucerne Festival…. Lim is the sixth woman and second Australian winner to take home the music award.… ‘I hope this recognition helps to shine a light on the vital role that music can play in shaping our understanding of the world and in responding to the urgent challenges we face,’ Lim said.”

2026 Azrieli Music Prizes for Composers Announced

Posted on November 14, 2025 by - News Briefs

The Montreal-based Azrieli Music, Arts and Culture Centre named four composers as the 2026 Azrieli Music Prizes Laureates. Created in 2014 by Dr. Sharon Azrieli, the biennial Azrieli Music Prizes celebrate excellence in music composition. Hana Ajiashvili won the Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music; Dalit Hadass Warshaw received the Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music; Nicholas Denton Protsack was awarded the Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music, and Adrian Mocanu won the Azrieli Commission for International Music. Offering the most substantial awards of its kind in Canada, AMP is one of the most significant composition competitions in the world. Each laureate receives a prize package valued at over CAD $250,000, including a cash award of CAD $50,000; a performance of their work by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and OSM Chorus, conducted by Asher Fisch, on October 15, 2026; two subsequent international performances; and a commercial recording of their prize-winning work, also featuring the OSM. Three jury panels—consisting of composers, musicologists, conductors, and producers—selected the winning submissions. Open to the international music community, AMP accepts nominations for works from individuals and institutions of all ages, nationalities, faiths, and genders, which are submitted to its juries through an open call.