The 30th anniversary of the most important actor on the classical recording scene, Naxos, was commemorated yesterday evening (16 May) at the Allerheiligen-Hofkirche in Munich. The first part was reserved to what is and always has been the key element in the Naxos founder’s thinking: music. Indeed, Klaus Heymann founded Naxos as a recording label for his wife, violinist Takako Nishizako, and as he told the audience, without her Naxos would not even exist.
Yesterday evening some of the foremost artists of Naxos played in a superb concert, pianist Boris Giltburg, violinist Tianwa Yang, Cellist Gabriel Schwabe and pianist Nicolas Rimmer. The official speaker of the event was Florian Drücke from the Bundesverband Musikindustrie who underlined the permanent innovative quality of the Naxos Group.
Remy Franck, president of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA), then presented a Special Achievement Award to the Naxos Founder and Chairman Kaus Heymann.
« Naxos is the greatest achievement of a single person in the recording industry », Remy Franck said. And the jury consisting of music critics from 14 different countries, representing 17 print or website magazines and radio stations declared in statement: « The founder of the Naxos Group, Klaus Heymann, has changed the recording industry and given the market a great and dynamic energy. Thanks to his strong vision, his incredible efficiency and his profound love for music, he became the industry’s major player. »
