19.04.2012
Vijay Iyer receives the “Doris Duke Performing Artist Award”

Marcus Gilmore, Vijay Iyer, Stephan Crump - © ACT / Jimmy Katz
American Pianist Vijay Iyer was awarded the first “Performing Artist Award” by Doris Duke Foundation on April 19th in New York City. Along with him 20 artists in music, contemporary theatre and dance receive an allocation of 225.000 $ (ca. 170.000 €). According to the criteria of the foundation, each artist has made a significant contribution to international contemporary art with at least three projects over the past 10 years. The grants are made as an investment in their personal and professional development and future work.

The Doris Duke Award joins a rank of honours Iyer recently received. In April he was awarded the prestigious „Greenfield Prize“, that annually goes to personalities whose work has made a significant impact on the broader American culture.

Vijay Iyer is considered to be the most important American jazz pianist at present. For their ACT debut “Historicity” (ACT 9489-2) the Vijay Iyer Trio received a Grammy nomination. The New York Times esteems the recent album “Accelerando” (ACT 9524-2) “an early front-runner for jazz album of the year.”

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