Conductor Jaap van Zweden receives the Bruckner Society Medal of Honor

Jaap van Zweden, the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic was presented with the Bruckner Society of America's Julio Kilenyi Medal of Honor at a post concert reception on May 27, 2019. The presentation took place in connection with the orchestra's annual free Memorial Day Concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. At the concert, the orchestra performed Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 in C Minor.

In presenting the award, the Society's Executive Secretary, John Berky made note ofthe maestro's recent accomplishments including a recorded Bruckner cycle with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, numerous Bruckner performances around the world and his bringing Bruckner to American audiences in Dallas and now New York.

Mr. van Zweden is the fifth music director of the NY Philharmonic to receive the award. Previous recipients were Arturo Toscanini (in 1932), Sir John Barbirolli (in 1959), Artur Rodzinski (in 1938) and Kurt Masur (in 2014).

Many other conductors associated with the Philharmonic have also received the Kilenyi Medal - most notably Otto Klemperer who received it in 1934 after presenting the US premiere of the Symphony No. 9 in its original version (editedbyAlfred Orel).

Society Vice President, Willian Carragan and Treasurer, Michael Cucka were also at the ceremony.