October 8, Estonian conductor Mihkel Kütson was awarded the German Conductor Prize (Deutsche Dirigentenpreis) for the performance of the Suite No. 2 from the ballet “Daphnis and Chloe” by Maurice Ravel.
The target of the Deutsche Dirigentenpreis is to promote young conductors’ artistic development offering collaboration with renowned orchestras and conductors.
German Conductor Prize is designated for young conductors under 35 living, studying or working in Germany. The award is supported by the Deutscher Musikrat (German Music Council), Deutsche Dirigentenforum, (Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and BHF-BANK Foundation.
Along with Mihkel Kütson also Hendrik Vestman (Estonia) and Evan Christ (USA) were announced as finalists. The final concert took place in the Berlin Philharmony Hall and was evaluated by the jury headed by Sir Roger Norrington and comprised of Prof. Dr. Peter Gülke, Dr. Wolfgang Hagen, Prof. Jorma Panula, Prof. Andreas Richter, Prof Gerd Uecker and Rolf Becker.
Mihkel Kütson (b. 1971) has studied conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music and graduated from the Hamburg Music and Theatre University with Professor Klauspeter Siebel in 1999. In 1999–2004, he was engaged as chief conductor of the Tartu Vanemuine Theatre and in 2002–2006, as chief conductor of the Hannover Staatstheater. Kütson has also collaborated with several German and European orchestras as a guest conductor. In season 2007/2008 he will hold the post of general music director of the Schleswig-Holstein Landestheater.