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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, May 5, 2009

IU Distinguished Professor Menahem Pressler to accept Lifetime Achievement Award for Beaux Arts Trio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's Menahem Pressler will accept a 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from The Edison Foundation on behalf of the Beaux Art Trio at the annual "Edison Klassiek Gala" June 11 in The Hague. A Distinguished Professor in IU's Jacobs School of Music, Pressler is a renowned pianist and a founding member of the trio.

The Edison Award is the oldest and most prestigious music award in the Netherlands, comparable to a Grammy Award. The awards ceremony at the Ridderzaal (Knight's Hall) will be aired live on national television and will include a short solo piano performance by Pressler.

"I'm extremely honored to receive this award on behalf of the trio," said Pressler. "Holland has been such a welcoming country to us through the years, and I'm excited to know that our many years of performances are being recognized."

Past recipients of the award are soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, composer John Williams, soprano Jessye Norman, baritone Thomas Hampson and cellist Mstislav Rostropovitch.

The legendary Beaux Arts Trio was founded in 1955 by Pressler, Daniel Guilet, violin, and Bernard Greenhouse, cello. The trio made its first appearance on July 13, 1955, at the Berkshire Music Festival, now known as the Tanglewood Music Center.

After 53 years of setting the standard for piano trios around the globe, the last performance of Beaux Arts, on August 24, 2008, was on the same stage at Tanglewood.

The trio's last Bloomington performance was on June 28, 2008, at the Musical Arts Center as part of the IU Summer Music Festival, presented annually by the Jacobs School of Music. The final configuration of the group included Daniel Hope, violin, and Antonio Meneses, cello.

Edison Klassiek will open Festival Classique, a three-day festival in the center of The Hague. Festival Classique is an initiative of IdtV and AVRO, supported by the council of The Hague. AVRO will broadcast the event live.

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