The Graz-born composer Olga Neuwirth has been awarded the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize for 2022. The most renowned honor for classical music in the entire German-speaking area is endowed with 250,000 euros.
It will be presented to the 53-year-old artist on June 2 for a life in the service of music at Munich’s Prinzregententheater. This was announced yesterday by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation based in Switzerland.
According to the jury, Neuwirth is one of the most independent and exciting voices in the music scene. Her musical language is versatile, unpredictable, sometimes rough and sharp. According to the jury, this is both an expression of the personality of the composer and of her social commitment: “With Olga Neuwirth, the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation honors an artist who breaks new ground with her music, who gives contemporary music a new face, who but also gets involved, takes a stand and isn’t afraid to address grievances.”
Grant awards
At the same time as the award for Neuwirth, the Ernst von Siemens Foundation also announced this year’s award winners, who will each receive 35,000 euros. Here the French composer Benjamin Attahir, the British Naomi Pinnock and the Spaniard Mikel Urquiza can be happy. In addition to the prize money itself, the young composers are also supported with “elaborately produced music productions”.
With the selection for the prize, which has been awarded since 1973, Neuwirth is in a row with greats such as the composers Olivier Messiaen and Hans Werner Henze, the cellist Mstislav Rostropowitsch or the star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. The eulogy for Neuwirth will be held by the Viennese author Raphaela Edelbauer at the presentation in Munich.
Source: Nachrichten
