The renowned German soloist and professor of viola will receive an award worth €10,000 for his long-time commitment to social causes
The German violist Nils Mönkemeyer has been named Professor of the Year 2025 by the Deutsche Hochschulverband (DHV) – the German University Association. The award has been made in recognition of his commitment to social causes, as well as his success as an international soloist; in particular for his ‘Classics for All’ Festival, which he founded in 2016 alongside the Bonn-based charity Caritas, which supports social justice programmes both in Germany and worldwide. The festival’s aim is to bring classical music to those who would not otherwise have access to it. This includes refugees, homeless people and those experiencing mental illness.
Mönkemeyer, 46, who has been professor of viola at the University of Performing Arts in Munich since 2011, will be presented with the award at the Gala of German Science, Berlin, on 31 March 2025. He also receives a cash prize of €10,000.
Among his other awards, Mönkemeyer won first prize in the 2006 Yuri Bashmet viola competition and an ECHO Klassik Award in 2017 for his album Mozart with Friends (Sony Classical).
Lambert T. Koch, president of the DHV, said: ‘Mr Mönkemeyer is at home on the world’s major concert stages, but he does not want high-quality classical live music to be reserved just for a small elite. That is why he combines his joy and passion for music with exemplary social commitment. He impressively shows us the fundamental importance of music as a valuable common good and a medium for social contacts and relationships.’
The DHV represents the academic profession in Germany with up to 33,500 members within it ranks.
Read: ‘Learning to trust yourself is a never-ending process’ - Nils Mönkemeyer’s life lessons
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