The 2026 Léonie Sonning Music Prize goes to conductor Kirill Petrenko
The 2026 Léonie Sonning Music Prize goes to conductor Kirill Petrenko
Next year, Kirill Petrenko will be honored with the prestigious award and the Léonie Sonning Music Prize 2026, which is endowed with DKK 1 million. The Russian conductor has been the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2019 and is known worldwide for his intense energy and exquisite interpretations. The award ceremony will take place on June 13, 2026, as part of a festive gala concert at the DR Koncerthuset, where Petrenko and the DR Symphony Orchestra will perform works by Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, and Richard Strauss.
The recipient of Denmark's most important music prize has been decided: The Léonie Sonning Music Prize 2026 goes to the charismatic Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko, who has been the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic since 2019.
From 1997 to 2018, Kirill Petrenko primarily conducted operas at some of the world's leading opera houses. He began his career in 1997 at the Vienna Volksoper and became music director of the Meiningen Theater just two years later. There, he gained international recognition with his legendary four-day performance of Wagner's “Ring” cycle.
From 2002 to 2007, Kirill Petrenko was General Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin, and from 2013 to 2020 he held the prestigious position of General Music Director at the Bavarian State Opera, where his celebrated productions received worldwide attention. One of his greatest artistic achievements as an opera conductor is the performance of Wagner's “Ring des Nibelungen” at the Bayreuth Festival in 2013.
The Léonie Sonning Music Prize was first awarded in 1959. Petrenko joins a list of prize winners that includes Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, and Miles Davis – as well as last year's prize winners, the Danish String Quartet.
The prize is endowed with no less than DKK 1 million (approx. €134,000). The award ceremony will take place on June 13, 2026, as part of a large gala concert at the DR Koncerthuset. The event marks Petrenko's first collaboration with the DR Symphony Orchestra – and offers a rare opportunity to experience the sought-after conductor on Danish soil.
It will only be Petrenko's second appearance in Denmark. He made his debut in 2013 with a performance of Wagner's “Die Walküre” in an enthusiastic and unforgettable concert with the Royal Danish Orchestra.
Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Strauss
Carefully selected works have been compiled for the gala concert. In Felix Mendelssohn's overture The Hebrides, the orchestra and Petrenko embark on a Nordic-inspired, mysterious world of sound.
This will be followed by Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto, a work full of passionate German Romanticism. The audience can also look forward to the Russian pianist Polina Osetinskaya as the soloist of the evening.
The concert concludes with Richard Strauss’ tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra, in which the symphony orchestra plays with full force, followed by the award ceremony.
New York Times: “Petrenko is a miracle”
Petrenko is one of the most exclusive artists in classical music. He rarely gives interviews and has worked with only a few selected orchestras throughout his career.
Over time, he has become known worldwide for his intense energy and sublime interpretations. The New York Times called him “a miracle”, while The Guardian and Financial Times described him as “brilliant” and “electrifying,” respectively.
As chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, he has created a unique musical community, and every concert becomes an event where anything is possible.
“The symphony orchestra is a highly sensitive organism”
“We at the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation are very pleased and proud to honor Kirill Petrenko in Denmark with a concert that presents his core symphonic repertoire,” says Esben Tange, Chairman of the Foundation Board.
He explains what makes Petrenko such an extraordinary conductor:
“Petrenko views a symphony orchestra as a highly sensitive organism, consisting of musical individuals, in which each musician plays a crucial role. He approaches the role of conductor with humility, seeing himself as someone who channels musical energy – and as a mediator of a universal human message through music. With his love for the symphony orchestra and its musicians, as well as his deep roots in the classical tradition, Kirill Petrenko is a remarkable modern conductor.”
Statement of the award winner
“As surprised as I was to receive this prestigious award, I was equally honored when I learned of it. To see the list of the greatest musicians of the past decades, in whose ranks I can now stand – that is truly humbling. I thank the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation for this recognition and look forward to performing in Copenhagen next June together with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of the award ceremony.”
Further information on previous winners of the Léonie Sonning Music Prize, talent awards and more can be found at www.sonningmusik.dk
