World-renowned Turkish pianist Say receives Beethoven Award in Germany

BONN - Doğan News Agency

World-renowned Turkish pianist Fazıl Say received the International Beethoven Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious awards given by the Bonn-based Beethoven Academy, on Dec. 17. 

The International Beethoven Prize for Human Rights, Peace, Freedom, Poverty Reduction and Inclusion, initiated by Torsten Schreiber and Andreas Loesch, was thus awarded for the second time at the ceremony, attended by hundreds of ceremony attendees. 

“I have received more than 50 awards in my lifetime, but all of these awards have been broken by my cat. For this beautiful award, I have reserved a separate section in the cabinet with glass casing,” Say noted in his acceptance speech. 

Say performed Aşık Veysel’s “Kara Toprak” (Black Soil) at the award ceremony. 

“The International Beethoven Award is the most prestigious award in the musical community and is of couse a source of pride for every musician,” he later told the Doğan News Agency. 

“This award also represents the ideals of Beethoven, who had strong ideas about friendship, freedom and peace. So I am very happy tonight,” Say added. 

Last year’s Beethoven prize winner was the Syrian refugee Aeham Ahmad, who became a star as a pianist on the war-torn streets of Damascus. 

In addition to Ahmad and Say, performers at this year’s ceremony were the Turkish piano duo Ferhan and Ferzan Önder, Greek pianist Maria Ntokou, Armenian musician Ibrahim Keivo, Palestinian pianist Karim Said, and local Bonn pianist Luisa Imorde, as well as a number of other international artists.

The ceremony was held under the auspices of Germany’s Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Gerd Müller.