The German Public TV channel ZDF has announced the ECHO KLASSIK presenters today: This year’s winners will be receiving their awards from the hands of Barbara Schöneberger, William Cohn, Henry Maske, Donna Leon, Dirk Steffens and Prof. Monika Grütters, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Performing artists will be accompanied by the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, conducted by Diego Matheuz. The ZDF will broadcast the gala that same evening at 10pm. The event is organized by the German Phono Academy, the cultural branch of Germany's Federal Music Industry Association (BVMI). The ZDF press release (in German) can be found here:  <link https: presseportal.zdf.de pressemitteilungen mitteilung stars-und-grosse-stimmen-beim-echo-klassik-2016-im-zdf echo external-link-new-window external link in new>presseportal.zdf.de/pressemitteilungen/mitteilung/stars-und-grosse-stimmen-beim-echo-klassik-2016-im-zdf/

ECHO KLASSIK – A Gathering of National and International Classical Music Stars

The ECHO KLASSIK is one of the most prestigious music awards in the world. In 2016, it will be handed out for the 23rd time in a row. Each year, a virtual who's-who of the classical music scene attends the glamorous ceremony. This year, the ECHO KLASSIK will be held on 9th October 2016 at the Konzerthaus in Berlin.The German music-industry body known as the Deutsche Phono-Akademie, the cultural institute of the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), has organised the ECHO KLASSIK awards and honoured outstanding performances by national and international artists annually since 1994. The winners are chosen by a jury consisting of prominent industry experts.

The key goals of the ECHO KLASSIK are to recognise extraordinary recordings but also to use the prestigious award to foster young talent and bring the fascination and diversity of classical music to a broader audience. 

An overview of ECHO KLASSIK 2016 award winners (in alphabetical order):