The Palau de la Música de València and the International Classical Music Awards have announced that the annual ICMA Awards Ceremony and Gala Concert will take place on April 12, 2024 at the Palau de la Música València, with the Orquesta de València conducted by its artistic and musical director Alexander Liebreich. The event will bring together the outstanding award winners and representatives of the international music industry in one of the most prestigious cultural venues in Europe.
ICMA President Remy Franck emphasized: « We are very pleased to have the Palau de Música de València as a partner for our event. Valencia is a city with a rich musical life and its name sounds musical in itself. We are especially happy to reconnect with Maestro Alexander Liebreich, who is himself an ICMA winner and conducted the Awards Gala in Katowice in 2018. »
The president of the Palau de la Música, Gloria Tello, was very pleased with this announcement and stressed that « it is an honor that the Palau de la Música will host the award ceremony of these prestigious prizes, which will place València at the world epicenter of recognition and excellence in the world of classical music. »Tello recalled that Valencian musicians Francisco Coll, Gustavo Gimeno, the pianist Josu de Solaun and the group Capella de Ministrers have recently received awards and also valued the fact that the concert of the annual gala will star the Orquesta de València on the same day, stressing that « this musical event reinforces the visibility and international recognition of the Palau de la Música, and our exceptional orchestra ».
Likewise, the director of the Palau de Música, Vicent Ros, stressed that « the brilliant trajectory of the Palau de la Música and our program, in which every year we receive the best international soloists of today, together with the musical and artistic level of the Orquesta de València, as well as the determination of its conductor, Maestro Liebreich, have been decisive in hosting these awards that we receive with open arms ».
For his part, Alexander Liebreich values the fact that « the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) are probably one of the most sophisticated awards in existence. Next to so many short-term and simply populist ceremonies, the ICMA remain directly dedicated to the highest quality of music creation and recording. The city of Valencia, the Palau de la Música de València, all the musicians and myself, are proud to host the ceremony in 2024 in Valencia – Benvingut! »
The Palau de la Música was inaugurated on April 25, 1987. Since then it has become one of the most emblematic buildings and the city’s cultural and musical engine, and is considered one of the most important concert halls in Europe. The most prestigious symphonic and chamber ensembles, conductors, opera singers and international soloists visit its program. It is home to the Orquesta de València.
The International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) were created in 2010 by the Jury of the former MIDEM Classical Awards. The jury is made up of music critics from 16 different countries, representing 20 print magazines or websites and radio stations: Andante (Turkey), Crescendo (Belgium), Das Orchester (Germany), Deutsche Welle (Germany), IMZ (Austria), MDR-Klassik (Germany), Musica (Italy), Musical Life (Russia), Musik & Theater (Switzerland), Opera (UK), Papageno (Hungary), Pizzicato (Luxembourg), Polskie Radio Chopin (Poland), Radio 100.7 (Luxembourg), Radio Klassik Stephansdom (Austria), Radio Romania Muzical (Romania), ResMusica (France), Rondo Classic (Finland), Scherzo (Spain), Unison (Croatia).
Every year, 16 awards for audio and video productions and a series of special awards (Lifetime Achievement, Artist of the Year, Young Artist of the Year, Label of the Year ….) honor outstanding musicians from around the world.
