Léonie Sonning Music Foundation awards DKK 1 million for the artistic development of 10 European talents
As is customary, the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation awards DKK 100,000 to 10 specially selected musical talents. This year, the foundation looks beyond the Nordic borders and also awards several talent prizes to promising young European musicians who all have in common that they are engaged in musical activities in Denmark.
Since 1967, the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation has awarded scholarships to young composers, conductors, musicians or singers to support their artistic development alongside the Music Prize.
Today, 10 new talents join an impressive list of talent award recipients that already includes big names such as conductors Esa-Pekka Salonen and Michael Schønwandt, trombone player Christian Lindberg, composer Bent Sørensen and more recently cellist Andreas Brantelid, composer Simon Steen-Andersen and soprano Lise Davidsen.
Previously, the talent awards were reserved for musicians from Nordic countries. In recent years, the foundation has chosen to expand the criteria so that talented young musicians from Europe who work in Denmark can also be considered. This means that, in addition to Nordic musicians, this year’s recipients include Greek-born composer Athanasia Kotronia and Italian pianist Marco Pomelli.
Esben Tange, chairman of the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation, explains the motivation for also awarding talent prizes to musicians from abroad who have chosen to settle in Denmark.
“The language of music is international, and it is with pride that we at the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation award a total of DKK 1 million to young talents from a number of European countries – all based in Denmark. The importance of external inspiration is hugely important for young musicians. So it is with pleasure that we both support musicians who have chosen to travel to Denmark and support Danish musicians who want to study abroad.”
