he Borletti-Buitoni Trust (BBT) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Awards and Fellowships, marking the birthday of its late co-founder, Franco Buitoni, on 17 March.
The UK-based charity supports young musicians at the early stages of their careers through financial assistance, mentoring, and project development. This year’s selection reflects a wide international scope, with artists from across Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, and Vietnam.
BBT Awards carry a value of £30,000, Fellowships £20,000, and the Special Commissioning Award £10,000.
Three artists receive BBT Awards
The 2026 BBT Awards are presented to soprano Elisabeth Hetherington, Opus13 string quartet, and cellist Senja Rummukainen.
Canadian soprano Elisabeth Hetherington, based in the Netherlands, is recognised for combining early and contemporary repertoire, often through multidisciplinary collaborations involving dance, poetry, and new music.
The Opus13 Quartet, a Swedish-Norwegian ensemble formed in 2014, has gained international recognition through major competition successes, including first prizes at the Bordeaux International and Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competitions in 2025.
Finnish cellist Senja Rummukainen is noted for her international career as both soloist and collaborator, following early competition successes and studies in Helsinki, Oslo, and Berlin.
Five musicians named BBT Fellows
The 2026 Fellowships are awarded to pianist Roman Fediurko, Fibonacci Quartet, pianist Khanh Nhi Luong, guitarist Samrat Majumder, and mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan.
Special Commissioning Award for Aleksey Shadrin
The Special Commissioning Award is granted to cellist Aleksey Shadrin, a Ukrainian-born musician based in Belgium. Shadrin is recognised for his advocacy of Ukrainian music and his collaborations with international ensembles and orchestras. The award supports the commissioning of new work as part of his artistic activity.
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