Young Czech pianist Jan Schulmeister wins prestigious BBC music award
Young Czech pianist Jan Schulmeister has won the Newcomer category at the prestigious BBC Music Magazine Awards for his recording of Russian piano music. The award was presented at a ceremony at Kings Place in London on Wednesday evening.
The 20-year-old’s winning album features works by Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Rachmaninoff, composers of the late 19th century who otherwise have relatively little in common stylistically, but are brought together here through Schulmeister’s expressive playing.
The recording, released by Czech label Supraphon, received a five-star review in BBC Music Magazine. The reviewer described Schulmeister’s debut as outstanding, praising what he called his “intense musicality.” He highlighted Pictures at an Exhibition as unusually subtle, and pointed to the musical intelligence of his interpretations.
Jan Schulmeister began playing the piano at the age of five, first in the Moravian town of Kroměříž and later at the Janáček Academy of Performing Art in Brno. He has been competing since the age of seven, achieving success in both national and international competitions, and now performs both at home and abroad.
The BBC Music Magazine Awards recognise the best classical recordings of the past year across nine categories. Each year, the magazine reviews more than 900 albums. From these, an expert jury selects three nominees in each category, with the winners then decided by public vote.
Speaking to Czech Radio, Schulmeister said he felt overwhelming joy after the result:
“It was a huge joy, and above all an honour that listeners appreciated the recording, gave it their vote, and helped it stand out in such strong competition.”
It’s also worth noting that Schulmeister was not the only Czech nominee. The ensemble Collegium 1704, led by Václav Luks, was shortlisted in the orchestral category for its recording of Handel’s Water & Fire.
Czech artists have also been recognised at the awards in the past. The Czech Philharmonic won an award for its recording of Smetana’s Má vlast under conductor Semyon Bychkov, while conductor Jakub Hrůša won two prizes in 2020, including for a concerto recording with pianist Ivo Kahánek.
