Donostia/San Sebastian will host the European Classical Music Awards gala on april 1st 2016

On April 12th, during the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) 2014 in Warsaw, it was revealed that the 2016 European Classical Music Awards Gala would be held in San Sebastián. Their application was driven by the Basque National Orchestra, supported by the San Sebastián 2016 Foundation.

This Awards Gala, the classical music equivalent of the "Grammys", will be held for the first time in Spain and will make San Sebastián, and consequently the Basque Country, the focus of classical music in Europe.

The jury is made up of musical critics from 13 different countries representing 17 top printed and digital media in the sector: Andante (Turkey), Classic Radio and Rondo Classic (Finland), Crescendo (Belgium), Fono Forum (Germany), Gramofon (Hungary), IMZ (Austria), Kultura (Russia), MDR-Figaro (Germany), Musica (Italy), Musik&Theater (Switzerland), Orpheus Radio (Russia), Opera (United Kingdom), Pizzicato and Radio 100.7 (Luxemburg), ResMusica (France) and Scherzo (Spain).

Fifteen awards are given every year for the best CD and DVD productions (Baroque Music, Coral Works, Symphonic Works, etc.) Plus Special Awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award, Artist of the Year, Outstanding Young Artist or Label of the Year.

The first awards ceremony took place in Tampere (Finland) in 2011, and was organised by the Tampere Philharmonic. It was followed by Nantes in 2012, with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire. In 2013, the honour fell to Milan, with the Orchestra Sinfonia de Milano Giuseppe Verdi. In 2014, this event took place in Warsaw, within the framework of the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival and in 2015, it will be held in the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra Auditorium in Ankara. It was in Warsaw that it was revealed that the 2016 Award Ceremony and subsequent gala concert would take place in San Sebastián, hosted by the Basque National Orchestra, within the framework of the San Sebastián, European Capital of Culture 2016.