ICMA Celebrates 2026 Winners at Gala Concert in Bamberg
On 18 March 2026, the 15th International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) Gala Concert took place at the Konzerthalle Bamberg, honouring this year's winners.
ICMA Gala 2026 Livestream © ICMA / DW
In Video Opera, Benedikt Don Strohmeier received the award on behalf of Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings for the video with Sergei Prokofiev’s War and Peace conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. He received the trophy from Jury member Cristina Comandasu (Radio Romania Muzical) © Marian Lenhard / ICMA
One winner in Video Performance and Documentaries was the Accentus Music production with Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 played by Bamberger Symphoniker under Herbert Blomstedt. The picture shows Paul Smacny, CEO Accentus Music, Marcus Rudolf Axt, General manager of Bamberger Symphoniker as well as Nina Junke, a member of the Orchestra Board © Marian Lenhard / ICMA
Judged exclusively by independent journalists and music editors, the ICMA recognises outstanding achievements across a wide range of categories, with a special focus on emerging musical talent, such as the 2026 ICMA Young Artist of the Year, mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller, whose interview you can read in our newsletter here.
The gala opened in the Joseph Keilberth Hall with a spectacular performance by Artist of the Year Jakub Hrůša, leading the Bamberg orchestra in Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3.
Winners in the video categories:
Opera: Sergei Prokofiev: War and Peace (Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings)
Performance & Documentaries: Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 | Bamberger Symphoniker, Herbert Blomstedt (Accentus Music) and The Alchemy of the Piano (directed by Jan Schmidt-Garre)
Find all the winners here and rewatch the full gala concert via the link below.
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