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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MUSICAL AMERICA ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARDS
CELLIST DAVID FINCKEL & PIANIST WU HAN
NAMED MUSICIANS OF THE YEAR
NEW YORK, N.Y. Nov. 4 - Musical America, founded in 1898 as the indispensable resource for the performing arts, announced the winners of its annual Musical America Awards today, recognizing artistic excellence and achievement in the arts.
For the first time in the history of these awards, Musical America honors two musicians on its cover: cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han. Critics have praised their boldness, imagination, and collaborative intimacy, but their performing virtuosity is only the starting point of their achievements. Their artistic direction of such important organizations as The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Music@Menlo, as well as a history of innovation in programming, recording, and outreach, have combined to create a revolution in the traditionally quiet world of chamber music - in the process building new audiences and rearing a new wave of players.
David Finckel received his first cello at age ten and at seventeen became the first American student of the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1979 he became cellist of the Emerson String Quartet (Musical America's Ensemble of the Year in 2000). Wu Han came to the United States from her native Taiwan at age 20, subsequently studying with Lilian Kallir and Leon Fleisher at the Aspen and Marlboro Music Schools. This dynamic husband-and-wife duo was first to initiate its own Internet-based record label, ArtistLed. Now in the 30th year of their musical collaboration, Finckel says, "Passing the torch became a huge priority in our lives. There is nothing more gratifying. We are in a blessed position."
Meredith Monk, Jaap van Zweden, Gil Shaham, and Jonas Kaufmann were
recognized as Composer, Conductor, Instrumentalist, and Vocalist of the Year.
Past recipients of the Musician of the Year Award, which was established in 1960, have included Leonard Bernstein (1960 and 1989), Igor Stravinsky (1962), Benjamin Britten (1962), Itzhak Perlman (1981), James Levine (1984), Isaac Stern (1986), Mstislav Rostropovich (1987), Wynton Marsalis (2004), and Yo-Yo Ma (2009), among other distinguished artists.
Today's announcement coincides with the publication of the 2012 Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts, which, in addition to its comprehensive industry listings, pays homage to each of these artists in its editorial pages. The profile on David Finckel and Wu Han is written by Stuart Isacoff, a regular contributor on the arts for The Wall Street Journal.
The annual Musical America Awards will be presented in a special ceremony at
Lincoln Center in New York City on December 5.
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