Why is this oboist 100 grand richer?
mainThere are five considerations at work when it comes to giving lifetime awards. The rules seem to be:
1 Give the prize to whoever bring greatest celebrity to the giver. (Step up Lang Lang).
2 Give it to whoever has the most powerful friends. (The Christoph Eschenbach syndrome).
3 Give it to whoever really needs it. (Never happens).
4 Apply the discredited educational maxim, ‘all shall have prizes’.
5 Anyone still left without a prize?
Heinz Holliger, 76, the oboist, composer and conductor, has been awarded the Swiss Grand Prix for Music 2015. He collects 100,000 Swiss francs ($100,000).
UPDATE: But what happened next? See here.
Perhaps because he is Swiss himself, has had a distinguished life-long career as an oboist and composer of some superb music?