Global Music Review

Hugo Jensen

On July 28, 2026, Global Music Review learned of the public announcement of the Gary Graffman Award, a new international honour established to recognize and support exceptional young pianists.

The announcement carries particular significance because of the name behind it. Gary Graffman was one of the defining pianist-educators of the modern era: a major concert artist, a former leader of the Curtis Institute of Music, and a teacher whose influence extended across generations. Among the artists shaped by his teaching and artistic lineage are Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Haochen Zhang, Lydia Artymiw, and Robert McDonald.

Graffman’s importance was never limited to professional achievement alone. He possessed wisdom without coldness, brilliance without arrogance, and success without surrendering to material vanity. In him, qualities that often appear difficult to reconcile seemed to find balance: discipline and warmth, intellect and generosity, artistic height and human grace.

The Gary Graffman Award should be understood within this larger legacy. It is not a conventional piano competition, nor is it designed as another prize within the already crowded competition landscape. Rather, it is conceived as a rarer form of recognition — an honor placed beyond ordinary competition results, intended for young artists who have already reached a significant level of international distinction.

Global Music Review has confirmed, through representatives connected with Mr. Graffman’s estate and legacy, as well as through information provided by PRIME Society and Audrey Sung, that the Gary Graffman Award is the only music award legally authorized during Graffman’s lifetime for the perpetual use of his name. Sung, who was directly involved in the organization of the award, traveled to New York during the final two months of Mr. Graffman’s life to complete the authorization agreement. The award will be independently administered by the Gary Graffman Award Society, also known as the GGA Society.

The award is intended for outstanding pianists between the ages of 15 and 28. Candidates are expected to have already earned recognition in major international competitions, or to have established professional relationships with leading international record labels or institutions. Its focus is not only on achievement, but also on artistic individuality, long-term value, character, and the ability to sustain a serious artistic life.

At the time of writing, a fundraising effort of more than US$500,000 for the award is nearing completion. The funds are expected to support the award’s long-term development, its selection process, and the artistic advancement of future laureates.

Special attention has also been given to Lydia Artymiw, the distinguished American pianist, educator, and longtime student of Gary Graffman, who has formally joined the GGA Society and serves on its board. Her participation provides a direct connection to Graffman’s artistic values, pedagogical standards, and personal legacy.

The Gary Graffman Award is planned to be granted once every three years, with only one or two laureates selected in each cycle. This structure is intended to preserve its scarcity, authority, and artistic seriousness. The Society is also expected to provide substantial financial support, career-development resources, and continuing international assistance to its laureates.

If developed with the seriousness reflected in its announcement, the Gary Graffman Award may become one of the most distinctive honors for young classical musicians in the years ahead. More than a prize, it appears to be a continuation of Graffman’s deepest artistic belief: that greatness in music is inseparable from judgment, proportion, humanity, and grace.

According to the latest information released by the Gary Graffman Award Society, the Society’s current board consists of five members, including Edward Han Jiang and Lydia Artymiw. In accordance with the wishes expressed by Gary Graffman during his lifetime, Edward Han Jiang serves as the Artistic Director of the Gary Graffman Award, guiding its artistic vision, selection standards, and long-term development.