Just in: Violinist wins $125,000
mainThe winner of the Léonie Sonning Music Prize 2017 has just been announced.
It’s the excellent Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos. He gets to perform a couple of concerts in Copenhagen next January and goes home with DKK600,000, which he can change at the airport for EUR80,000, or US$125,000.
The citation says: ‘Leonidas Kavakos is one of the most expressive violinists you can hear today. He interprets the masterpieces for violin from Bach and Mozart to the classics of the 20th century with authority and with profound musical understanding. His strong personality, virtuosity and the honest, direct nature of his playing mark him out as an artist of rare calibre.’
Maybe he can now afford to get a haircut!
… and a trainer to get rid of that ugly paunch.
Recently heard his Korngold and was impressed by his restraint and musical good sense, also by his relative physical stillness, a new attribute for him, somewhat à la Heifetz.
I don’t know what source you got the “US$125,000” from but those times are gone (although in Canadian or Australian Dollars it might still get you close to the number of 125.000).
600.000 kr. today come to something in the vicinity of US$87.000.
Facts, facts…
I know, I know…such a bother.
There’s nothing like giving money to people who don’t need it.
Congratulations that he won this prize –the reasons given can apply to most violinists
sawing away to put bread on the table -the prize started off on a good foot but rapidly
under whoever runs it deteriorated with a few minor exceptions to a entertainer prize.