Tonhalle Düsseldorf and the International Classical Music Awards announce that the annual ICMA Award Ceremony and Gala Concert will take place on 19 March 2025 at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker conducted by ICMA Lifetime Achievement Award winner Adam Fischer. The event will reunite the prominent award winners and representatives from the international musical industry at one of the most prestigious cultural places in Europe.
In Düsseldorf, the sense of anticipation is already palpable. Artistic Director of Tonhalle Düsseldorf Michael Becker: « The ICMA are among the most prestigious music awards in the Classical scene: A large and independent international jury ensures a very broad perspective. To be the host of the ICMA Gala is an honour – and very exciting – considering the great predecessors between Ankara and Milan. »
ICMA President Remy Franck says: « For the second time now the ICMA Gala is hosted by a major German orchestra, and we gladly return to this core country of the classical music world. We are all the more delighted that our 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Adam Fischer will be conducting this gala. »
With its unique architecture and location directly on the Rhine, the Tonhalle Düsseldorf, a former planetarium, is not only one of the most beautiful concert halls in Germany, but according to renowned music critics, it also ranks among those with the best acoustics. A spectacular ‘indoor starry sky’ in the blue dome of the concert hall also turns each event in the Tonhalle into a visual experience. Classical music takes centre stage here: the Tonhalle is home to the Düsseldorf Symphony and its Orchestra Academy, and also houses a youth symphony orchestra, an under-16 orchestra, a children’s orchestra and even an audience orchestra. Furthermore, the Planetarium of Music regularly hosts the international stars of classical music.
The Düsseldorf Symphony performs at the Tonhalle several times a month, for example in its ‘Sternzeichen’ symphony concerts. Additionally, the orchestra performs at the opera, and demonstrates its commitment to Düsseldorf through a variety of educational projects and open-air events. The Düsseldorf Symphony has made a name for itself far beyond Germany’s borders with numerous tours and guest performances.
The International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) have been set up in 2010 by the Jury of the former MIDEM Classical Awards. The jury consists of 19 music critics from 16 different countries, representing 20 print or website magazines and radio stations: Andante (Turkey), Crescendo (Belgium), Das Orchester (Germany), Deutsche Welle (Germany), IMZ (Austria), MDR-Klassik (Germany), Musica (Italy), Musik & Theater (Switzerland), Opera (UK), Papageno (Hungary), Pizzicato (Luxembourg), Polskie Radio Chopin (Poland), Radio 100,7 (Luxembourg), Radio Klassik Stephansdom (Austria), Radio Romania Muzical (Romania), ResMusica (France), Rondo Classic (Finland), Scherzo (Spain), Unison (Croatia).
Annually 16 awards for audio and video productions and a series of Special Awards (Lifetime Achievement, Artist of the Year, Young Artist of the Year, Label of the Year….) honour outstanding musicians from all over the world.