Brussels, June 19, 2026 – The European Concert Halls Organisation (ECHO) is happy to announce the artists selected for its 2027-28 ECHO Rising Stars season:
Elia Cecino, piano – nominated by Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Konzerthaus Dortmund, Megaron - The Athens Concert Hall and Palau de la Musica Catalana
Aaron Azunda Akugbo, trumpet – nominated by Palau de la Música Catalana, B:Music, Barbican Centre, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, The Glasshouse International Music Centre
As part of the ECHO Rising Stars programme, these artists will perform on the stages of leading concert halls across Europe throughout the 2027-28 concert season. In addition to their concert tours, they will take part in Education, Learning and Participation (ELP) activities, commission a new work by a composer of their choice, and engage in workshops and mentoring opportunities designed to support their artistic and professional growth.
Since its launch in the 1995/96 season, the ECHO Rising Stars programme has supported over 150 outstanding young artists. Alumni of the programme include celebrated names such as Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Jörg Widmann, Janine Jansen, Igor Levit, Renaud Capuçon, Khatia Buniatishvili, Benjamin Appl, Kian Soltani, Quarteto Casals, Belcea Quartet, and Modigliani Quartet.
Artists are nominated by the artistic teams of ECHO member halls, who identify musicians already making waves in their national scenes and ready to reach a broader European audience. The selection process is coordinated by the ECHO office and based on in-depth discussions during the annual artistic meeting, which this year took place in Athens, hosted by Megaron from May 5-7, 2026.
The current ECHO Rising Stars for the 2026-27 season include Camila Mandillo (soprano), Elionor Martinez (soprano), Ava Bahari (violin), Petar Pejčić (cello), the Amelio Trio (piano trio) and the Javus Quartet (string quartet).
For more information about the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) and the Rising Stars programme, please visit our website concerthallorganisation.eu, follow us on Instagram @echorisingstars or contact:
Federico Rinaldi, ECHO Secretary General
📞 +32 477 163018
📧 [email protected]
Andrea Meyer-Borghardt, Rising Stars Coordinator
📧 [email protected]
🔗 Download pictures of the 2027-28 ECHO Rising Stars and the ECHO logos
About ECHO: The European Concert Hall Organisation unites 23 major concert venues across 14 countries, committed to creating outstanding live music experiences. ECHO champions music as a powerful force for connection and inspiration and serves as a platform for collective dialogue and innovation among Europe’s leading concert halls.
The ECHO members are: Auditorium – Orchestre National de Lyon, Barbican Centre London, B:Music – Town Hall & Symphony Hall Birmingham, BOZAR Brussels, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lisbon, Casa da Música Porto, Cité de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Harpa Reykjavík, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Kölner Philharmonie, Konserthuset Stockholm, Konzerthaus Dortmund, L’Auditori Barcelona, Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall, Müpa Budapest, Musikverein Wien, NOSPR Katowice, Palau de la Música Catalana Barcelona, Philharmonie Luxembourg, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Wiener Konzerthaus.
Photo credits: Junyan Chen © Radski, Arthur Stockel © Sophie Williams, Laura van der Heijden © Venetia Jollands, Elia Cecino © Piergiorgio Ceolin, Aaron Azunda Akugbo © Olivia Da Costa, Fibonacci Quartet © Julia Bohle
