On March 18, Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša personally accepted the “Artist of the Year” award at the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) ceremony in Bamberg. On the same occasion, he was also honored with the Bavarian Order of Merit, one of the most prestigious state distinctions. A distinctive feature of this award is the limited number of living recipients—no more than 2,000 individuals.
The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, which Hrůša has led since 2016, also received two ICMA awards: the “Special Achievement Award” and a prize in the “Video Recording” category. The jury highlighted the orchestra’s consistently high artistic standard as it celebrates the 80th anniversary of its founding this year.
Jakub Hrůša and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra also served as official hosts of this year’s ICMA gala ceremony, attended by winners across all categories. A recording of the event is available on the Deutsche Welle YouTube channel.
The International Classical Music Awards are among the most respected international honors in the field of classical music. Laureates are selected based on the expert consensus of a jury representing key classical music media and institutions across Europe and beyond.
List of winners:
More information: https://www.icma-info.com/winners-2026/
Gala concert recording conducted by Jakub Hrůša on Deutsche Welle’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/live/wrQrvWEFJq8?is=kFeT9uomAMFwU98_
Under the baton of chief conductor Jakub Hrůša, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra has repeatedly received ICMA awards for symphonic recordings—specifically in 2022 for Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony and in 2023 for a recording featuring works by Hans Rott, Mahler, and Bruckner. In January 2024, Hrůša was honored in the “Opera Video” category for Janáček’s Káťa Kabanová with the Vienna Philharmonic, for a production created in collaboration at the Salzburg Festival.
Jakub Hrůša currently serves as Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. In September 2025, he assumed the role of Music Director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and in autumn 2028 he will become Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic, where he currently serves as Principal Guest Conductor. He regularly performs with leading orchestras worldwide, both in Europe and in the United States and Asia.
Photo: Marian Lendhard
