The Busoni Composition Prize of the Berlin Academy of Arts will be awarded this year to Njabulo Phungula. The South African composer (born 1993) will receive the €7,000 prize, the Academy announced on Monday. The €3,000 encouragement prize was awarded to Raphaëlle Aoun (born 2004), a Lebanese composer living in Germany. The award ceremony will take place on November 13 in Berlin.

Njabulo Phungula

The jury's statement praised Phungula's musical language as characterized by sensitivity and artistic depth. "His works reveal an attention to the finest sonic details. One senses that every sound has been carefully placed and every transition consciously shaped. This microscopic work contributes to the creation of a living, breathing musical organism."

Award winner Aoun impressed the jury with the sonic sophistication of her music. In her work, "the sensual and abstract dimensions of music are in constant dialogue, with its sonic 'fragrance' being achieved through the use of pure intonation."

The Busoni Prize was established in 1988 by the composer Aribert Reimann. Every two to three years, it honors young, relatively unknown composers. Since 1992, the Academy of Arts has also awarded grants to composition students. Thanks to a donation from the founder's estate, this year's prize money has been increased from €6,000 to €7,000 for the composition prize and from €2,500 to €3,000 for the grant. The donation will also ensure that the award ceremony and concert can continue.

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