"With the opening of the Casals Forum at the Kronberg Festival 2022, the Kronberg Academy established a new tradition: it annually awards the Pablo Casals Award – For A Better World, initiated by the Cologne-based asset manager Flossbach von Storch. Each year, the award is presented to an artist who demonstrates exceptional social engagement.
The great cellist Pablo Casals (1876–1973) was a passionate advocate for peace. His life motto was: Art and humanity are inseparable.
“First and foremost, I am a human being, and secondly, an artist. As a human being, it is my primary duty to do good to my fellow human beings.”
Not only did he exemplify this principle, but he also called on all musicians to 'place the purity of their art in the service of humanity.' The ethos of the Kronberg Academy Foundation is derived from Pablo Casals' stance: Artists bear responsibility for music, humanity, and the earth.
Through the awarding of this prize, artists are supported and encouraged to follow the example set by Pablo Casals, thus inspiring future generations as role models."
The prize is endowed with €10,000. The prize money is intended to support the project of the respective laureate. The engagement or project awarded by the Pablo Casals Award should demonstrate a significant potential so that the grant can be effectively utilized.
The jury of the Pablo Casals Award – For A Better World mainly consists of members of the artistic advisory board of the Kronberg Academy Foundation: Marta Casals Istomin, Christoph Eschenbach, Gidon Kremer, Sir András Schiff, and the Chairman of the Board Raimund Trenkler.
Award ceremony 2025
Violinist Midori made her Kronberg debut and received the Pablo Casals Award for a Better World at the closing concert in recognition of her social commitment – a moment that encapsulated the spirit of the festival and thus also the legacy of Pablo Casals: music not only as art, but as an attitude and a source of hope – as a superpower for a better world.
Midori described it as follows in her speech: "It is a great honour to receive this award, which is named after the artistry and humanity of Pablo Casals. As this decades-long work is now being recognised, I am incredibly grateful that the world is indeed changing: the attitude towards artists who are involved in their communities, who strive and work very hard to bring better days to those less fortunate. This is very encouraging for me."
