Together with the SWR Experimentalstudio Freiburg, the ZKM | Hertz-Lab has been awarding the Giga-Hertz Prize for Electronic Music since 2007.
The Giga-Hertz Award is endowed with a total of € 25,000. In 2023 the Giga-Hertz Prize will be awarded for the 16th time. In addition to the Giga-Hertz Grand Prize, which is endowed with 10,000 € prize money, two internationally oriented Giga-Hertz Production Awards will be awarded.
The Giga Hertz Prize is dedicated to the world-famous physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894), who taught at the end of the 19th century at Karlsruhe Technical University (now KIT) and discovered electromagnetic waves there. The award was established on the initiative of the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe.
Giga-Hertz Grand Prize for Lifetime Achievement
The Giga-Hertz Grand Award of 10,000 € distinguishes renowned composers for their lifetime achievement. The prize is based on jury recommendations rather than an open call.
Giga-Hertz Production Awards
Two of the internationally oriented Giga-Hertz Production Awards are endowed with 5,000 € each. They serve the initiation and promotion of new projects, which are realized during a residence and are aimed at sound artists and composers of electronic or electroacoustic music as well as mixed music.
Giga-Hertz PopExperimental Advancement Award
Since 2022, the Giga-Hertz PopExperimental Advancement Award, donated by the Fördergesellschaft ZKM / HfG e. V., has for the first time focused on experimental electronic pop and club music. The award is endowed with 5,000 €. This year it will be awarded for the first time in cooperation with the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg.
The application for the production awards takes place in two steps
The submission of a reference work which should not be older than five years and should not exceed 20 minutes forms the basis for the jury's assessment and should use clearly identifiable electronic and technical means. In addition, it must be ensured that this reference work can be presented without great technical effort if selected by the jury.
A project exposé on a new work still to be realised should also be submitted. These new works to be created by the prize winners should be presented as world premieres at the Giga-Hertz Award ceremony in the following year. The realisation of these works will be decided by the jury in the form of a residence at the ZKM | Hertz-Lab in Karlsruhe or at the SWR Experimental Studio in Freiburg. (The works will be adapted to the possibilities of the respective studio, if necessary).
Award winners
2023
2022
