Wolfgang Dauner Award: Shai Maestro

Presentation of the Wolfgang Dauner Award to Shai Maestro at the Haus der Musik im Fruchtkasten - as part of jazzopen stuttgart 2025.

A place steeped in history: the Haus der Musik im Fruchtkasten on Stuttgart's Schillerplatz in the immediate vicinity of the jazzopen festival site. The Fruchtkasten is home to the instrument collection of the Württemberg State Museum and has a concert hall with around 120 seats.

The Wolfgang Dauer Award will be presented here for the first time in memory of Stuttgart's great jazz musician. The prize is awarded annually to a personality of European jazz, who should not be older than 40 years. The award is endowed with 15,000 euros and is supported by the Péter Horváth Foundation.

Shai Maestro:
Shai Maestro (born 1987) is an extremely talented jazz pianist known for his unique style and musical fluidity. Since his debut in 2011, he has gained recognition for his work with his own trio and his current quartet, releasing albums on the prestigious ECM label. Maestro's music combines cinematic, eclectic influences and blends live instrumentation with energetic performances. His most recent album "Human" (2021) was written during the COVID-19 pandemic and features a quartet with Ofri Nehemya, Jorge Roeder and Philip Dizack. Shai has expanded his creativity by composing for films, arranging for orchestra and producing for other artists. He has also performed with prestigious orchestras such as the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. His compositions have been described as profound, cinematic and accessible.