Amsterdam distinguishes year old Reinbert de Leeuw (80)

Conductor, pianist and composer Reinbert de Leeuw celebrates his 80th anniversary in the Music building and receive from the mayor of Femke Halsema, the Silver Medal of the city of Amsterdam.

The evening worked a singer and conductor Barbara Hannigan, the Asko|Schönberg Ensemble, pianist Tamara Stefanovich and actress Katja Herbers. The verjaardagsconcert was directly heard on NPO Radio 4. The medal is awarded to persons who are more than fifteen years, have contributed for Amsterdam and the city to the outside at the international level have carried out in social, cultural, civil or economic area.

The Lion is already much lauded. He is a Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion and he won in 2013 the Edison oeuvre Award. Two years ago he received an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Leuven. The Lion was then praised as a tireless pioneer and advocate of the music of the 20th and 21st century.

This year was The Lion nominated for a Grammy, the cd Kurtág: Complete Works for Ensemble & Choir. He won the award, but the always critical Hungarian composer Kurtág himself was very pleased with the album.