02Feb By Adrian de GroenWed 2 February 2022Message The Nederlandse Muziekprijs for Thomas Beijer! The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has announced that the Nederlandse Muziekprijs (Dutch Music Prize) has been awarded to Thomas Beijer. The Young Pianist Foundation is extremely proud of its Artistic Director! On 17 February, the prize will be presented to Thomas Beijer by State Secretary for Culture and Media Gunay Uslu after a concert with the Noord Nederlands Orkest conducted by future chief Eivind Gullberg Jensen in De Oosterpoort in Groningen. Thomas Beijer will perform there as a soloist in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. The Nederlandse Muziekprijs is the highest state award for classical musicians. Candidates for the prize follow a study path in which personal musical development is central. The committee of the Nederlandse Muziekprijs praises Thomas Beijer for his pianistic qualities and his versatility: he is also active as a composer, arranger, improviser, presenter, draftsman, animation filmmaker, writer and artistic director; “a ‘uomo universale’ of today,” the commission said. Previous prize-winning pianists have included Ronald Brautigam, Martijn van den Hoek and Hannes Minnaar. Photo: Merlijn Doomernik