The conductor in focus: Kirill Petrenko honored with exclusive series of events

With the award ceremony as its focal point, the foundation and its three partners present an ambitious program that illuminates the role of the conductor from several perspectives – historically, artistically, and personally – while placing Petrenko’s work in a broader context. The events culminate in the prize concert at DR Koncerthuset on 13 June 2026.

With these events, the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation aims to create a broader framework around the prize recipient – not only a celebratory concert, but a multifaceted celebration and discussion of the classical conductor: past, present, and future.

“In addition to celebrating Kirill Petrenko with a concert by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, we also wish to encourage discussion and understanding of one of the central figures in classical music: the conductor. What is the function of the conductor, and is the role undergoing change in a time when hierarchies are being challenged? These questions are essential to the development of classical orchestral music, and Kirill Petrenko plays an important role here as an artist who combines deep tradition with a strong personal presence,” says Esben Tange, Chairman of the Board of the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation.

Film and reflection: The conductor on screen
The series opens with a screening of Todd Field’s acclaimed film Tár (2022) on 10 June at the Cinematheque – an intense portrait of a fictional star conductor and the power structures surrounding the role of the conductor. The film will be introduced by Esben Tange, who will place the story in perspective with the real world of conductors – and with Kirill Petrenko’s artistic practice.

On Sunday 14 June, the new French documentary Nous, L’Orchestre de Paris (2026) will be screened at the Cinematheque, bringing audiences behind the scenes of a modern symphony orchestra. The film will be introduced by Katrine Ganer Skaug, Artistic Director of the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and Vice Chair of the foundation, and highlights the collective interplay – precisely what Petrenko is known for refining to the highest level.