Aaron Azunda Akugbo selected as ECHO Rising Star

Aaron Azunda Akugbo has been chosen as an ECHO Rising Star for 2027. The programme is presented by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), which represents 23 concert venues across 14 countries, and provides opportunities for exceptional emerging artists to perform in these venues. 

Artists are nominated by the artistic teams of ECHO member halls, based on discussions during its annual artistic meeting, which took place at Athens' Megaron from in May. Akugbo was nominated by Palau de la Música Catalana, B:Music, Barbican Centre, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam and The Glasshouse International Music Centre.

As part of the scheme, he will perform in leading concert halls across Europe throughout the 2027–28 season, as well as joining educational activities and taking part in workshops and mentoring opportunities, and he will be given a bursary to commission a new work from a composer of his own choice. Previous recipients include Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Jörg Widmann, Janine Jansen, Igor Levit and Renaud Capuçon.