Chinese pianist Lang Lang has received the inaugural Daphne Music Award in Copenhagen, a new international prize launched by the Danish Research Foundation to recognize artistic achievement, public engagement, and efforts to broaden access to classical music.
The award, endowed with €650,000, was presented on May 14 at the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen. According to the foundation, the new Daphne Awards aim to place music and science “on equal terms,” emphasizing music not only as an artistic discipline but also as a force capable of shaping “the brain, the body, and society itself.”
The foundation described Lang Lang as “one of the most influential figures in classical music today,” highlighting both his international performing career and his educational work through the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, established in 2008.
Small but significant detail: the launch of the award also signals a broader institutional ambition. Beginning in 2027, the Daphne Awards will expand to include a science prize dedicated to research connected to the impact of music.
Lang Lang said he felt honored to receive the first edition of the award and praised the initiative’s attempt to connect “art, science, education, and philanthropy.” Speaking to Xinhua ahead of the ceremony, he also described music as a way of overcoming cultural and ideological barriers.
“When I perform Chinese works abroad, I often feel that music can quickly bring people closer,” he said.
The pianist performed during the gala concert alongside the Tivoli Copenhagen Philharmonic under conductor Dmitry Matvienko. According to Xinhua, it was Lang Lang’s first performance in Denmark in more than a decade.
The Danish Research Foundation was founded in 1992 by physicians Bente Juel Riis Christiansen and Claus Christiansen. Originally connected to medical and clinical research through the Center for Clinical and Basic Research (CCBR), the organization later expanded its activities to include cultural and charitable initiatives. In previous years, it has distributed more than €35 million in grants related to science, culture, and social projects.
The Daphne Music Award was accompanied by two Daphne Next Generation Awards, each endowed with €100,000. The prizes went to Spanish soprano Serena Sáenz and Chilean-American tenor Jonathan Tetelman.
Sáenz, who gained international attention after her success at the 2022 Operalia Competition, has recently appeared at houses including the Vienna State Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, and Gran Teatre del Liceu. Tetelman, meanwhile, has built a fast-rising international career with appearances at venues such as the Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Carnegie Hall, alongside recordings for Deutsche Grammophon.
The trophy for the inaugural edition of the Daphne Awards was created by Danish artist Sif Itona Westerberg.
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