VC Artist Charles Yang Awarded Germany’s €10,000 Bernstein Prize

American genre-crossing violin virtuoso, VC Artist Charles Yang has been awarded the 2018 €10,000 ’Leonard Bernstein Award’

It has been announced today that American genre-crossing violin virtuoso, VC Artist Charles Yang has been awarded the 2018 €10,000 ’Leonard Bernstein Award’.

Presented annually since 2002 by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, in Germany, previous recipients include violinist Lisa Batiashvili, cellists Alisa Weilerstein, Leonard Elschenbroich and VC Artist Kian Soltani - and pianists Lang Lang and Anna Vinnitskaya.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, where he studied with Glenn Dicterow, alongside his blossoming solo classical career Charles has amassed an impressive online following for his guerrilla-style violin/vocal covers.

He has also been a member of the superstar string trio, Time for Three since 2016.

VC ARTIST CHARLES YANG | KORNGOLD VIOLIN CONCERTO | 1ST MVT | BENJAMIN WALLFISH & CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA | 2015

VC ARTIST CHARLES YANG | BEN E. KING | STAND BY ME (ARR. VIOLIN & VOCALS) | CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVAL | 2015

"The young American violinist Charles Yang cuts across the boundaries between classical and popular music in the best Bernsteinian sense … ," Festival Director Christian Kuhnt has said.

"As a classically trained musician, he is familiar with the traditions of his instrument and, at the same time, masters the techniques and styles of pop music," he has said.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this prestigious award ... with this award, I am more than ever inspired to continue to learn every day and to become an ever better artist," Charles has said.

"For me, Leonard Bernstein is one of the greatest trendsetters of the 20th century ... he saw in music not only a creative component, but also a connecting force between people ... he crossed genre boundaries and set new educational standards," he has said.

The prize will be presented to the 29 year old on August 17th this year - at the Musik-Und Kongresshalle Lübeck.

This year’s jury comprised Festival Director Christian Kuhnt, Festival Principal Conductor Christoph Eschenbach and - Leonard Bernstein’s children Jamie Bernstein Thomas and Alexander Bernstein.