Having been endowed with €25,000 since 2022, the distinguished Würth Prize of Jeunesses Musicales Germany (JMD) has been granted annually since 1991 to exceptional artistic individuals, ensembles, and projects.
This year's laureate, the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie or German String Philharmonic Orchestra (DSP), will be bestowed with the award during the ceremony on September 14, 2023, at the Carmen Würth Forum in Künzelsau, Germany.
Designed for musicians aged between 11 and 20, the DSP received the accolade for its distinctive and nuanced string sonority, along with its collective dedication to musical expression, as acclaimed by the jury in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Past recipients of this distinction encompass the likes of the Notos Quartet, Gustavo Dudamel, Jörg Widmann, Christian Tetzlaff, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and Sol Gabetta, among other luminaries.
This year marks the golden jubilee of the DSP since its inception in 1973 in East Germany as a radio music school ensemble. Since 1991, the organization has been fortified by support from the Association of German Music Schools.
Musicians from all 16 federal states of Germany who are part of the DSP convene six to seven times annually for rehearsals, culminating in concert tours. Recent notable moments include their involvement in the acclaimed film "Tár," featuring Cate Blanchett.
The orchestra's performances have graced renowned venues such as the Vienna Musikverein, Cologne Philharmonie, Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, and Berlin’s Young Euro Classic.
Under the guidance of the current principal conductor Wolfgang Hentrich since 2013, the DSP's previous baton wielders encompass Herbert Kegel, Wolf-Dieter Hauschild, Jörg-Peter Weigle, Hanns-Martin Schneidt, and Michael Sanderling.
Collaborating with luminaries like Marek Janowski, Vladimir Jurowski, Julia Fischer, Nils Mönkemeyer, and the Jussen brothers, the DSP has also produced 14 live and studio recordings in partnership with Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
Many graduates of the DSP now hold positions in esteemed orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.
