Some shall have more prizes: $100k for Hilary
OrchestrasThe US violinist Hilary Hahn last night received this year’s $100,000 Avery Fisher award for outstanding artistic achievement and leadership in classical music.
She says: ‘From the beginning of my career, I saw the Avery Fisher Prize as a high honour: the recipients were people who had already made a historically large impact in our field, yet had the stature, skill, and curiosity to move in any direction,’ said Hahn on her award. ’When I was awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1995, when I was 15, it felt like a recognition that this could someday be in my future. It encouraged me to push hard to have my voice heard as an artist, to expand my horizons with new projects, and to strive to deepen the artistic meaning of my work.
‘Having now come full circle, I feel proud of what I have achieved as an artist, and validated that that work has been seen and recognised by my community. But most important, I feel encouraged and inspired to keep forming connections and building community with audiences, composers, and fellow artists around the world.’
Giving cash awards to millionaires, great job, that’s classical music for you.
Adam i agree. Iam sure she is wealthy
and does not need the money
That would give her a great excuse to start a foundation supporting underrepresented “Pronouns” and/or ethnicities of classical music. How about buying a better sounding fiddle (Not another Vuillaume please!) ?
But what does this have to do with the Avery Fisher award? It’s explicitly for *both* artistic achievement (which plenty of impecunious musicians can claim) *and* leadership in classical music. I doubt many people in leadership positions are worried about the next month’s rent or mortgage payment. Ms. Hahn certainly meets both criteria superbly. And she may well spend or donate the award for the betterment of music and musicians’ lives; it’s a bit early to leap to judgment.
More than that what is the point of giving awards to artists who are already well established in the industry…..?
Then, what’s the point of giving Oscars, Emmys, and Nobel Prizes?
The point of the Oscars is promotion of the movie business, and for “academicians” and producers, the career kick that individuals get from a win.
Emmys the same.
The original Nobels were to assuage Alfred’s overwhelming sense of guilt as he approached the end of his life. Added Nobels were to enhance the power of the prize-givers (in the case of the Economics one, wild swings from the promotion of one billionaire-powered delusion to correctives and maybe back).
And that is what the overwhelming number of big prizes are all about: promotion of the power, prestige and recognition of the prize-givers, within the affected industry if not with the general public.
This explains the senselessness and uselessness of these things, measured against any reasonable standard of what might be useful in the world.
Fair question, but that’s what the Avery Fisher Prize has always been. It has never been a prize for up-and-comers.
Yes. This pretty much sums up classical music. It truly is one of the biggest scams going. It’s tragic because music itself is such a beautiful thing.
I am sure she will use the money wisely perhaps to commission someone to write something for her.
She says as much in an interview on WQXR a couple of days ago – it is on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuQGhy4Dtl4
Maybe you’ll get it next year.
The more superficial the business, the more awards and prizes it hands out.
One result of this award to Ms Hahn could be further commissions for composers to write music for her.
I was there last night. It was a very moving ceremony. A well-deserved reward!!!
Congratulations to Hilary Hahn!
This wonderful artist has labored in obscurity, almost completely invisible to, and unheard-of by, the concert-going and record-buying public for more years than anyone can count, so I’m glad to see her finally getting some of the recognition she deserves.
Perhaps Itzhak Perlman or Joshua Bell will be next. I mean, at least we can hope.
Too late; Joshua Bell won it in 2007.
https://www.playbill.com/article/joshua-bell-wins-75-000-avery-fisher-prize
At least she is still humble. Not sure what she has done lately, and I couldn’t care less. Hilary is an exceptional player, but a well to do white violinist receiving a bunch of money will not distract me from the larger problem of musical organizations blatantly excluding people who identify as White or Asian from opportunities because of the color of their skin.
Asian???? Have you looked at orchestras in the US lately? Two-thirds of the strings are of Asian descent. I think that’s great but pointing out that Asian musicians are not getting opportunities is absurd.
MAGA is complaining (nonsensically) that white non-Asian people are excluded – the name is a clue.
Tax inspector – hope you take note and make sure you are extra scrupulous with checking her self assessment tax records this year. Make sure she pays ALL of her dues and that she doesn’t get away with anything.
You too mate.
I just heard her today with Hrusa and the NYPO. Staggering virtuosity in the Prokofiev 1st concerto and a lovely meditative Bach encore. Hrusa also gave the best Concerto for Orchestra I’ve ever heard – viscerally exciting when it wasn’t as spooky as you’ll ever hear in the third movement!
Wonderful to see this prize go to a classical musician who hardly ever plays chamber music and has virtually no role in education (other than her little ‘practice’ videos, which we all know are nothing more than marketing stunts and only serve to deceive young students into thinking that playing through their practice sessions with scrunched eyebrows is “getting work done”).
She has a nice sound, and great intonation. She has a large social media following. She doesn’t need the money. She’s even proven one doesn’t need a seven-figure violin to be a soloist.
I hope she can use this money to shave a few years off her mortgage.
Bravo!
She managed all of this from her pedestal. We must ask the bigger question—did the committee really see no other choice? Fantastico
So, who would your choice have been? A moderately successful middle-income chamber musician with a teaching position in a conservatory?
Incidentally, she devoted time in November 2023 to touring European cities (Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Zurich, Geneva, Paris) with the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia – surely a worthwhile way of supporting young musicians.
I have been to Hilary Hahn in concert and while her ability was undeniable, I found her a very chilly, uninspiring performer. Reading her comments on her first and latest Avery Fisher recognitions, it is all “I, I, I.”
Well deserved…
The bile and bitterness resounding from almost all of the above comments is extraordinary! Good for Hilary Hahn, she has dedicated herself to her instrument and achieved a level of perfection that few can ever hope to reach. I would be very surprised if she were not to put the money to good use, either through donating to charitable causes, or commissioning new works. When you consider that in 2022 the average Wall Street bankers bonus was $176,700, this award seems like peanuts! Looking forward to more bile in reaction to this comment….
My god, the majority of the people who comment on this site are the most joyless, hateful, clearly aged little horrors, aren’t they? God forbid someone who worked incredibly hard for decades to become a leader in an extremely difficult and competitive field be awarded for…leadership. Jesus, you people need to touch grass or find a hobby.