Bamberger Symphoniker
(c) Marian Lenhard

This year, Bamberg hosted the International Classical Music Awards. At the same time, the city celebrated the 80th anniversary of its Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Michael Oehme reports.

A grand reception in Bamberg. After the 75th anniversary of its symphony orchestra had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, the 80th anniversary of the ensemble’s founding was now celebrated in style with a ceremony hosted by the Bavarian State Government. What city of this size can boast of hosting such a world-class orchestra within its walls!

The orchestra’s anniversary was combined with the presentation of the 2026 International Classical Music Awards. This award ceremony is one of the few worldwide to be judged exclusively by independent journalists and music editors. In addition to many different categories, a special focus is placed on emerging musical talent.

Honored as Artist of the Year, Jakob Hrusa opened this awards gala in the Joseph Keilberth Hall with a spectacular performance of Beethoven’s Third Leonore Overture.

Nils Mönkemeyer
© Marian Lenhard

Nils Mönkemeyer then performed the third movement from Béla Bartók’s Viola Concerto.

Jakub Hrusa and Peter Zombola
© Marian Lenhard

The Composer Prize was awarded to Peter Zombola, born in 1983, for his oratorio *Passio* (St. John Passion), from which two characteristic orchestral interludes were performed.

Roman Simovic © Marian Lenhard

The London Symphony Orchestra was named Label of the Year and was represented by its concertmaster, Roman Simonvic. He performed the finale of Peter Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with stunning perfection and virtuosity. What orchestra has such a virtuoso concertmaster?

Sharon Bezaly © Marian Lenhard Hiyoli Togawa
© Marian Lenhard

Finnish composer Kalevi Aho (born 1949) was honored as Composer of Contemporary Music. The program featured a flute solo performed by Sharon Bezaly and the final movement from his viola concerto performed by Hiyoli Togawa.

Mariam Abouzahra
© Marian Lenhard

At just 17 years old, violinist Mariam Abouzahra drew attention to herself with the finale of Johannes Brahms’s Violin Concerto. In the Concertos category, Roberto Prosseda turned the spotlight on the little-known Italian composer Silvio Ommizzolo (1905–1991).

Roberto Prosseda
© Marian Lenhard Ermonela Jaho & Roberto Prosseda

The wonderful pianist then accompanied the soprano Ermonela Jaho, who had won the vocal category, in Donizetti’s “Lamento per la morte di Bellini.”

Amarcord
© Marian Lenhard

Perhaps rivaled only by the King’s Singers in England, the singers of the Leipzig ensemble Amarcord have elevated the art of male vocal performance to a noble status. They received the award in the Early Music category for their recording of works by Josquin Desprez.

Anthony Ratinov © Marian Lenhard

Finally, the very young Anthony Ratinov drew attention with the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B-flat minor.

Mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller, named Young Artist of the Year at the ICMA Gala, and Stephen Kovacevich, honored for his lifetime achievement, unfortunately had to cancel due to illness

The evening in the Joseph-Keilberth-Saal came to a rousing close with the finale, “Allegro con brio,” from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Jakob Hrusa, Artist of the Year, and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, which received two awards, were prominent and immensely impressive award winners at this diverse three-hour ICMA Gala.