Calliope Tsoupaki receives Johan Wagenaar Prijs
The 2026 Johan Wagenaar Prijs has been awarded to composer Calliope Tsoupaki.
This prestigious lifetime achievement award will be presented later this year. The Johan Wagenaar Prijs is regarded as one of the most important awards for composers in the Netherlands and is awarded in recognition of a composer’s entire body of work. The independent jury, comprising Pieter van Loenen (chair), Emi Ohi Resnick, Jorrit Tamminga, Maarten van Boven, Yannis Kyriakides and Hanna Shybayeva, was unanimous in its decision.
Jury report
According to the jury, Calliope Tsoupaki stands out for her distinctive artistic style and her consistent commitment to forging her own path:
“Calliope Tsoupaki dares to forge her own path and has established a strong presence. She has a substantial and highly personal body of work of the highest quality. Her music appeals to a wide audience. She has found her own voice and is innovative in her projects. Each work bears a unique and recognisable musical and compositional signature. The often lyrical nature of her works touches the audience. The jury is full of praise for the way in which she manages to incorporate her own cultural background into her work. As well as being a brilliant composer, she is also a key advocate for new music. She is everywhere, attends many concerts, is highly visible (especially since she was Composer Laureate) and is deeply committed to contemporary music.”
With this award, Tsoupaki becomes the first woman to receive the Johan Wagenaar Prize.