OPUS KLASSIK 2026 for Simon Tetzlaff

The prestigious OPUS KLASSIK music prize is one of the most important awards for classical music in Germany and honors outstanding artists as well as groundbreaking recordings. Among this year’s honorees in the “Young Artist of the Year” category is cellist Simon Tetzlaff, whose artistic work has garnered international acclaim.

Simon Tetzlaff, born in 1997 in Frankfurt am Main, began taking piano, music theory, and cello lessons at a very young age. As a young student at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, he drew attention to himself at competitions and masterclasses. He studied with Julian Steckel in Munich and furthered his studies in the Artist Diploma Program at USC Thornton in Los Angeles under Prof. Ralph Kirshbaum, supplemented by guidance from luminaries such as Alban Gerhardt and Torleif Thedéen. Tetzlaff is currently studying with Clemens Hagen at the Mozarteum University.

Tetzlaff has already performed as a soloist with renowned orchestras such as the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn and made his acclaimed debut at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. As a passionate chamber musician, he performs at major festivals worldwide and regularly collaborates with leading artists such as Rainer Schmidt, Alina Ibragimova, and Christian Tetzlaff. His debut album, released in 2025 on Hänssler Classic and featuring works by Kodály, Ysaÿe, and Sibelius, was highly praised by the music press and now lays the foundation for this significant OPUS Klassik award.

A distinguished jury selected the winners of the OPUS KLASSIK from a record number of over 680 submissions; the awards ceremony took place on October 11, 2026, as part of the glamorous OPUS KLASSIK Gala at the Konzerthaus Berlin.