Composer Přeteris Vasks will receive the Robert Schumann Prize for Poetry and Music. The 80-year-old Latvian is one of the most important voices in contemporary European music, the Mainz Academy of Sciences and Literature announced on Thursday. The award will be presented to him on November 11.

Peter Vasks

"His works are deeply rooted in the Latvian landscape, its history, and its spiritual dimension," the jury explained. "With a distinctive musical language, he combines simplicity with emotional depth, creating music that both touches the listener and invites contemplation. His compositions, which repeatedly draw on the tradition of religious texts, reflect humanity, a connection to nature, and a keen awareness of the fragility of our world." Vasks succeeds in bringing hope and pain, silence and intensity into a powerful musical dialogue, the statement continued.

The Robert Schumann Prize is endowed with €15,000 and is awarded every two years. It is established by the Mainz-based Strecker Foundation. Previous recipients include Pierre Boulez, Wolfgang Rihm, Aribert Reimann, Jörg Widmann, Olga Neuwirth, Heinz Holliger, and most recently, Adriana Hölszky.

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