News | 26.06.2017

Gidon Kremer receives the prestigious Pour le Mérite award

On Sunday, June 11, Gidon Kremer received the prestigeous order Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste for his achievements in science and art, ceremony held in Berlin. It is an order of merit (Ger: Verdienstorden), that was first awarded in 1740 by the king Frederick II. The order became the highest award in military and civil achievements in Prussia and was later adopted also in Germany.

Pour le Mérite is awarded only as a recognition of exceptional personal achievement, never as a general benchmark of a social status. Since 1923 the board of the order is lead by the President of Germany. The person who receives this order becomes the member of the order for life, similar as it is with the order of British Empire in the UK.

Gidon Kremer is the first violinist after Joseph Joachim since 1899 to be accepted into this Orden. Due to this event, changes were made even in the classification – Geiger und Kȕnstlerischer Leiter (Violinist and Creative Director), because it recognizes his work with the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica.

In the argumentation of the order, it says:

“Although his interpretations respect the best of the traditions, they are still fresh, original and alive. The interest that Kremer has about modern composers and new music is intense and permanent, and he without any doubts has fostered the development of new music more as any other internationally acknowledged musician.”

2016/2017 season Gidon Kremer has already had several tours together with Kremerata Baltica celebrating their double Anniversary year 70/20 – audiences were invited to more than 60 concerts across the Middle East, North America, Europe, and Asia.