British cellist Willard Carter received €5,000 and a gold pin following a winning performance on 13 November
The second VP Bank Opus Award Night was held on 13 November 2025 in the Hagenhaus in Nendeln, Liechtenstein.
The VP Bank Opus Award, along with the Music Academy in Liechtenstein, recognises outstanding musical achievements and aims to support the development of potential in young artists.
This year, the Academy put forward pianists Robert Neumann and Vladimir Aćimović, violinist Charlotte Spruit and cellist Willard Carter to perform in front of an audience and jury.
Following the performances, the VP Bank Opus Award was given to Carter, who receives €5,000 and a gold pin provided by Huber Uhren und Schmuck. Pianist Neumann received the audience award of €1,000.
British cellist Carter received his musical training as a child at Wells Cathedral School, as well as the Purcell School of Music with Alexander Boyarsky and at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music.
He began studying with Ivan Monighetti in 2018 at the Reina Sofia School of Music in Madrid, Spain, going on to study at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin since 2023, under guidance of Frans Helmerson. He debuted at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival performing a solo recital the same year.
Adrian Schneider, Head of the Liechtenstein Region at VP Bank, said: ’With the VP Bank Opus Award, we are sending a strong signal for cultural promotion in Liechtenstein. Together with the Music Academy in Liechtenstein, we are promoting not only musical excellence, but also the holistic development of young talent.’
This year’s jury comprised Christiane Weber, head of the artistic office at Lucerne Festival, Marc Barwisch, head of artistic operations at the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and Andrea Meuli, editor-in-chief and publisher of Musik & Theater magazine.
The VP Bank Opus Award will be presented again in 2026.
Read: My experience: Willard Carter at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy
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