Andsnes and Chamayou win 2026 Gramophone Piano Award; Imogen Cooper receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Schubert duets from Bertrand Chamayou and Leif Ove Andsnes took the piano prize, while Imogen Cooper and Alexander Malofeev received special awards.
Bertrand Chamayou and Leif Ove Andsnes have won the Piano Award at the 2026 Gramophone Classical Music Awards for their album of Schubert piano duets. The winners were revealed on 7 October 2026 at a ceremony at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.
The winning recording brings together four works for piano four hands from the last year of Schubert’s life, including the Fantasie in F minor. Gramophone’s reviewer praised the pair for showing that this music deserves more attention than it often gets.
Two pianists also received special awards. Dame Imogen Cooper was given the Lifetime Achievement Award as she prepares to leave the public stage, with the magazine singling out her Schubert playing. Alexander Malofeev, a Russian pianist now based in Berlin, was named Young Artist of the Year.
Recording of the Year, which also took the Instrumental Award, went to Jean Rondeau’s collection of the complete works of Louis Couperin. Violinist Isabelle Faust was named Artist of the Year.
Source: Gramophone, Presto Music
Quick question
Have you ever played piano four hands with someone?
Have a story tip or a correction? Tell us.