The Austrian-Iranian cellist has been awarded the €10,000 prize by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival

soltani

Austrian-Iranian cellist Kian Soltani has been awarded the Leonard Bernstein Award 2017 by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (SHMF). The 24-year-old receives €10,000 and will perform at SHMF in Germany on 21 July under conductor Christoph Eschenbach.

Principal cellist of Daniel Barenboim's West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Soltani holds a scholarship from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, and released 'Metamorphoses' - his debut album of world premiere recordings - in 2012. He won first prize at the International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki in 2013.

Awarded annually since 2002, the Leonard Bernstein Award recognises exceptionally gifted young musicians. Previous recipients include violinist Lisa Batiashvili, cellists Alisa Weilerstein and Leonard Elschenbroich, and pianist Lang Lang.

Photo: Juventino Mateo

Topics