The American Recital Debut Award Foundation has announced that cellists Gabriel Martins and Rainer Crosett have been named the award’s 2025 recipients, in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments and strong potential as emerging classical musicians.
Established in the spring of 2023 by pianist and artistic administrator Victor Santiago Asunción in honor of the late cellist Lynn Harrell, the award supports exceptional emerging classical musicians who demonstrate strong potential for a performance career, providing them with a concert at Carnegie Hall in the 2025-2026 season, professional mentorship from the artistic advisory board and concert engagements over three consecutive seasons.
As one of the 2025 recipients of the American Recital Debut Award, Brazilian-American cellist Gabriel Martins brings with him a distinguished list of accolades, including the Concert Artists Guild/Young Classical Artists Trust Grand Prize, the Sphinx Competition Gold Medal, and the David Popper International Cello Competition Gold Medal.
Quickly gaining international recognition for his sensitivity and artistry, American Recital Debut Award-winning cellist Rainer Crosett made his Wigmore Hall debut as the first American to win the Pierre Fournier Award and gave his concerto debut in 2023 with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London. A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, Crosett has collaborated with leading composers such as Jörg Widmann, Chaya Czernowin, and Lei Liang.
