Robert Schumann Prize awarded to New York pianist

The New York pianist Tiffany Poon has received the Robert Schumann Prize from the city of Zwickau for her artistic work and her commitment as an influencer. Mayor Constance Arndt presented the award at the Robert Schumann House, as the city announced. The 28-year-old is the second youngest recipient of the prize, which has been awarded since 1964.

Classical music has to fight for new audiences without losing its regular audience, said Leo Siberski, General Music Director of the Plauen-Zwickau Theater and Clara Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra, in his laudatory speech. "The way in which Tiffany Poon makes her art accessible to a wide audience in a serious, humorous, exciting and very personal way while maintaining the highest artistic quality is a prime example of such a successful balancing act."

Award-winning pianist and successful influencer

Poon has already won several prizes at international piano competitions. In 2016, she was one of the youngest participants to come third in the Robert Schumann Competition for Piano and Voice in Zwickau. The pandemic-related concert break in 2020/21 led Poon into the world of social media. The videos on her YouTube channel with 330,000 followers have been viewed over 50 million times.

When she found out about the award in an email, she cried, the pianist wrote in a letter to her fans, which she published on Instagram. She loves Schumann's music and wanted more people to know about him and his work. "I never thought that I would be awarded a prize that legendary pianists I looked up to as a child had already received."

Prize endowed with 10,000 euros

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was born in Zwickau. He is one of the most important composers of the Romantic period. The prize named after him honors outstanding musicians, musicologists or music institutions who have made a special commitment to the composer and his work. It is awarded every two years and is endowed with 10,000 euros.