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The 2016 KAIROS Prize from the Alfred Toepfer Foundation was awarded to the conductor Teodor Currentzis at a special event hosted at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus on 8 April 2016. Teodor Currentzis conducts the Perm Opera and is also founder of the world renowned music ensemble and choir MusicAeterna based on Novosibirsk, Siberia.
The ΚAIROS Prize is awarded to figures from the European letters and arts scene who make a new contribution to their genre. The prize’s name is inspired by Kairos, the mythical deity who represents favourable moments and right timing. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of € 75,000 which makes it one of the most important in Europe.
Giving the reasons for its decision, the jury said that the prize is an acknowledgement of an artist’s work which goes beyond traditional boundaries and art forms, and who thanks to his decisiveness runs counter to the rules laid down by the easy-on-the-ears music industry of our age. The scholar has achieved international distinction for his artistic daring and his radical approaches to classical works of music.
