Following his concert on 12 June 2024 as part of the "Musikverein Festival: Courage!", Sir András Schiff was honoured twice yesterday: Andrea Mayer, State Secretary for Art and Culture, presented the distinguished pianist from Hungary with the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art 1st Class on stage in the Golden Hall. Sir András Schiff also received the prestigious Bösendorfer Ring, the last recipient of which was Paul Badura-Skoda.
Sir András Schiff's career, which has lasted for over 50 years, is closely linked to Austria. He made his debut at the Vienna Musikverein in 1977 in a concert with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra performing Béla Bartók's Third Piano Concerto. As part of the "Musikverein Festival: Courage!", which focuses on courageous artistic attitudes, he played a recital yesterday with a surprise programme he had only decided on the day of the concert. By contrast, awards from the Republic of Austria and the piano manufacturer Bösendorfer, on whose instruments Sir András Schiff has played for many decades, had been prepared well in advance. As host, Musikverein director Stephan Pauly, who has worked with Sir András Schiff for many years, welcomed State Secretary Mayer and Bösendorfer´s managing director Sabine Grubmüller on the stage of the Main Hall after the concert to present the awards.
Foto Credit (c) Julia Wesely