Dutilleux wins Kravis Prize

At a ceremony in Paris today, Alan Gilbert and Zarin Mehta, the music director and the president of the New York Philharmonic, are presenting the inaugural Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music to the venerable French composer Henri Dutilleux, who turns ninety-six next month. Explains the press release: "The Kravis Prize is to be awarded every two years, and each honoree is to receive a cash grant of $200,000 and a commission to write a work for the New York Philharmonic. In alternating years, when no prize is given, an emerging composer will receive a $50,000 stipend to commission a work for the Orchestra...This year Mr. Dutilleux will share the proceeds with three composers whom the New York Philharmonic will select with his assistance, each of whom will write a work to be performed by the Orchestra in his honor (in lieu of a new work by Mr. Dutilleux)." The first of the three composers is Peter Eötvös, whose commission will have its premiere in a future season. On June 26, 2012, the Philharmonic will celebrate Dutilleux with a concert consisting of his works Métaboles, Ainsi la nuit, and Tout un monde lointain — the last with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.