Gabriel Martins and Rainer Crosett will receive a Carnegie Hall performance opportunity next season, plus mentorship and future concert engagements
The American Recital Debut Award Foundation has announced cellists Gabriel Martins and Rainer Crosett as recipients of its 2025 awards, in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments and strong potential as emerging classical musicians.
The award is given to classical musicians who demonstrate strong potential for a performance career. The cellists will receive a concert opportunity at Carnegie Hall in the 2025-26 season, professional mentorship and concert engagements over three consecutive seasons.
The award was established in the spring of 2023 by by pianist and artistic administrator Victor Santiago Asunción in honour of the late cellist Lynn Harrell. Its artistic advisory board comprises Asunción, who was a long-time chamber music parter of Harrell’s, cellist Zuill Bailey, cellist Evan Drachman and soprano Margarita Gomez Giannelli.
’I am deeply grateful to be the recipient of the American Recital Debut Award,’ commented Martins, whose previous list of accolades include the Concert Artists Guild/Young Classical Artists Trust Grand Prize, the Sphinx Competition Gold Medal, and the David Popper International Cello Competition Gold Medal.
’To present a recital programme at Carnegie Hall is a dream come true for any young artist, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity. ’Additionally, it is a particularly special honour to share this recital with pianist Victor Santiago Asunción, and to be a part of the continuous legacy of his longtime recital partner Lynn Harrell, one of my great cello heroes.’
Crosett, who was the first American to win the Pierre Fournier Award, also acknowledged the legacy of Harrell and Asunción: ’Such nuance in duo playing is rare to hear, and the spontaneity and flexibility they achieved is something I continue to aspire to! I am profoundly grateful for the support of the award in making this next career step possible.’
The inaugural American Recital Debut Award was presented to cellist John-Henry Crawford in 2023, who has since released his concerto debut album and toured the Canary Islands, the Philippines and Alaska.
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