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Chinese pianist Lang Lang wins inaugural Daphne Music Award

The new international Daphne Awards aim to place music on a more equal footing with science with a significant prize fund

The Danish Research Foundation has heralded Chinese pianist Lang Lang as one of the most influential artists of our time, naming him winner of the inaugural Daphne Music Award.

The Daphne Awards, launched by the Danish Research Foundation, celebrate music as a cornerstone of human culture and as a transformative force that shapes the brain, the body and society itself. 

With this vision, the board seeks to honour artists at the height of their careers – internationally acclaimed musicians whose work has had a lasting impact and continues to shape the future of classical music.

Lang Lang receives this year’s prize in recognition of his role in expanding the reach of classical music, engaging a wide and diverse audience and inspiring curiosity far beyond traditional boundaries.

‘Through the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and its initiatives, such as Music Heals and Keys of Inspiration, he has shown how music can broaden opportunities, nurture creativity and support strong, engaged communities,’ the board said in a joint statement.

As a pianist, educator and cultural ambassador, Lang Lang has reached audiences on every continent – through global events such as the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony and the reopening of Notre Dame, and intimate performances for children in public schools.

Lang Lang will be publicly honoured at a gala concert in the Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, on 14 May 2026. The concert will feature performances from the Tivoli Copenhagen Phil and conductor Alondra de la Parra.

Next Generation award winners

Soprano Serena Sáenz and tenor Jonathan Tetelman will also be honored with the Next Generation Award, which recognises their vocal brilliance and artistic presence. They win €100,000 (£86,600) each. 

Serena Sáenz is widely praised for being one of the most exciting young voices of her generation. She is loved for her musicality and radiant high notes, and has quickly established herself on leading opera stages around the world.

Jonathan Tetelman has emerged as one of the most compelling tenors of his generation. Born in Chile and raised in New Jersey, he is praised for the warmth and expressive power of his voice, and appears regularly on major international opera and concert stages.

The Daphne Awards: a new way to celebrate music

The Daphne Music Award is an honorary prize that recognises artistic excellence, global reach and sustained impact. This year it carried a prize fund of €650,000 (£563,000).

Laureates are selected through a nomination and evaluation process involving internationally recognised experts, with the final decision made by the Danish Research Foundation.

The award is not conceived as a funding or support scheme. It is financed through a dedicated endowment established specifically for the Daphne Awards. It is not a reallocation of resources, and no other artists or initiatives are affected by the prize.

For many years, the Foundation behind the Daphne Awards has supported a broad range of musical, cultural and scientific activities, and it will continue to do so independently of the Daphne Awards.

‘With the Daphne Awards, we aim to highlight the role of music as a universal language – one that expresses ideas and emotions in ways that words alone cannot. At the same time, we want to acknowledge the artists and researchers who deepen our understanding of this language and make its value visible,’ the board said in a joint statement.

‘The strength of a society is not measured by its wealth, but by the choices it makes in challenging times. Supporting culture and science means supporting empathy, reflection and the long-term resilience of our communities.’

Visit www.daphneawards.org/the-award

 And follow @daphne_awards