Fazıl Say to receive Beethoven Prize in Bonn

ISTANBUL

The Beethoven Prize 2016, one of the world’s most prestigious awards given by the Bonn-based Beethoven Academy, is to be presented to Turkey’s internationally acclaimed pianist Fazıl Say next month. 

Say will receive the prize at a ceremony on Dec. 17 at the Kreuzkirche in Bonn, and will perform Aşık Veysel’s “Kara Toprak” at the award ceremony. 

The former editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet, Can Dündar, will also give a speech on Say at the ceremony.  

Performers at this year’s ceremony will include the last year’s Beethoven prize winner, the Syrian refugee Aeham Ahmad, who became a star of the war with his pianist on the streets of Damascus, the Turkish piano duo Ferhan and Ferzan Önder, Greek pianist Maria Ntokou, Armenian musician Ibrahim Keivo, Palestinian pianist Karim Said, and Bonnian pianist Luisa Imorde, as well as other international artists.

The International Beethoven Prize for Human Rights, Peace, Freedom, Poverty Reduction and Inclusion, initiated by Torsten Schreiber and Andreas Loesch, will be awarded for the second time at the ceremony. The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros as well as a statue designed by German artist Dirk Wilhelm.