Pierre Fournier Award Winner Announced

American cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins will receive a Wigmore Hall recital, a concerto appearance with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and a recording on the Champs Hill label

Since 1988, the Pierre Fournier Award has been given annually to a young cellist to provide them with high-level performing opportunities and the chance to make a professional recording.

In the competition, 25-year-old American cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins performed two movements from Elliot Carter's Sonata for Cello and Piano, as well as the Fauré Cello Sonata No. 1, with pianist Dina Ivanova.

As part of her prize, Jacobs-Perkins will receive a recital at London's Wigmore Hall (and a video recording of the performance), the opportunity to record an album on the Champs Hill label, a concerto appearance with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and recitals with the Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society and Oxford May Music.

Cellist Antonin Musset was given a Special Commendation award of £1,000, while Bryan Cheng, Senja Rummukainen, and Samuel Niederhauser received Commendation Awards of £500.

Annie Jacobs-Perkins is presently studying with Troels Svane at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Previously, she completed her master's degree with Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory, and her undergraduate studies took place at the USC Thornton School of Music with Ralph Kirshbaum.

Previous winners of the Pierre Fournier Award include Chiara Enderle, Mikhail Nemtsov, Gabriel Schwabe, Gemma Rosefield, and Richard Harwood.