In acknowledgement of his activities as soloist, conductor and recording artist, Martin Fröst has been announced as Artist of the Year by the International Classical Music Awards. “In his hands, the clarinet becomes an extension of the human voice and a magic wand of new sound worlds… and in (the role of the conductor) he also shows the same sovereign and wide-ranging musicianship.” Congratulations Martin!
In the category Video Performance, Bayerische Staatsoper’s recording of Die tote Stadt takes the honours, with Mirjam Mesak singing the role of Juliette. Simon Stone’s sensational production, conducted by Kirill Petrenko, received universal acclaim in its premiere performances and subsequent revival in Munich.
In the category of Contemporary Music, the album Francisco Coll released on Pentatone takes the award. Featuring in the album is Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who shows off her stupendous skills in the premiere recording of Coll’s Violin Concerto and Four Iberian Miniatures. The Orchestra Philharmonique du Luxembourg, under its chief conductor Gustavo Gimeno, is also recognised for its excellent sound and technical level in the recording.
