Isserlis Receives Anner Bylsma Award
The cellist is honored for championing lesser-performed works and for his educational work.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Classical
Cellist Steven Isserlis has received the Anner Bylsma Award, an honorary prize given every four years. The award, presented after his performance at the Cello Biennale Amsterdam, includes a sculpture by Elena Beelaerts van Blokland and a €50,000 cash prize.
Why it matters
The award recognizes efforts to bring lesser-performed cello repertoire to audiences and to educate the next generation of players. The cash prize is earmarked for education and talent development.
The award carries a €50,000 cash prize and a sculpture by Elena Beelaerts van Blokland, and is given every four years. Prior recipients were Anner Bylsma in 2014, Giovanni Sollima in 2018 and Jean-Guihen Queyras in 2022, while the specific education programs the prize will fund have not been detailed.
The players
Steven Isserlis
Steven Isserlis is a British cellist widely known for his recordings and his advocacy of the cello repertoire.
Anner Bylsma
Anner Bylsma was a Dutch cellist and early-music pioneer after whom the honorary award is named.
The details
Isserlis was honored following his performance at the Cello Biennale Amsterdam, where the award was presented. The Anner Bylsma Award is given to an individual or organisation that has shown exceptional merit for the cello and its repertoire.
Timeline
2014: Inaugural Anner Bylsma Award presented to Anner Bylsma.
2018: Giovanni Sollima receives the Anner Bylsma Award.
2022: Jean-Guihen Queyras receives the Anner Bylsma Award.
4 November 2026: Steven Isserlis receives the award after performing at Cello Biennale Amsterdam.
Legacy
The award was first presented in 2014 to Anner Bylsma, the cellist it is named after, and has since gone to Giovanni Sollima in 2018 and Jean-Guihen Queyras in 2022. Isserlis's 2026 selection extends that quadrennial pattern of honoring cellists who expand the instrument's repertoire and teaching.
Listeners interested in lesser-performed cello works can seek out Isserlis's recordings and performances. Music students and educators may find future opportunities through programs funded by the award's €50,000 prize, though the extraction does not detail specific programs.
The takeaway
Recognition for cellists who champion neglected repertoire and teaching shows how awards can support both artistic exploration and the development of future musicians. Readers can follow similar efforts by attending concerts featuring lesser-known cello works.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in the Classical section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Strad.
