German Conductor Thomas Hengelbrock Awarded €50,000 Karajan Prize

German violinist, musicologist, stage director and conductor Thomas Hengelbrock has today been announced as the recipient of the prestigious 2015 €50,000 (USD $55,000) Karajan Music Prize.

Hengelbrock, 56 is the founder and director of the Balthasar-Neumann-Chor and the Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble - and has served as Principal Conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra, in Hamburg since 2011.

Presented by the Festpielhaus Baden-Baden in Germany, the cash sum is awarded annually on the condition the prize be used to help further the careers of young musicians.

Previous Karajan Prize recipients include violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim and the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras.