Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture has announced the return of the Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser (Luxembourg Music Awards), which will be presented at the Rockhal on Wednesday 9 December 2026.

Several new features, including a new award category and an expanded jury, will mark the third edition of the Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser, which have honoured individuals and collectives who have left their mark on Luxembourg's music scene every two years since 2022.

New Prize to Highlight Music Composition

Among the new features introduced for the 2026 Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser is a new award entitled "Beschte/n Komponist/in" (Best Composer), which expands the scope of the national awards by recognising the recent creative work of a Luxembourgish composer. Beyond composers in the traditional sense, the category is also intended to honour creators of sonic identities. The award carries a prize of €3,500.

The remaining categories remain unchanged and are as follows:

  • The "Nationale Musekspräis" (National Music Prize) recognises the career, body of work and long-term commitment of an artist in Luxembourg's music sector. The prize is worth €10,000. In line with the ministry's other national awards, the recipient of the National Music Prize is selected directly by a jury appointed by the Ministry of Culture.
  • The "Op der Bün" (On Stage Award) recognises a particularly successful musical project from the past two years. It is presented in three musical categories:
    • Classical and Contemporary Music;
    • Amplified Music;
    • Blues/Jazz/World.
  • Each category carries a prize of €3,500.
  • The "Hannert der Bün" (Behind the Scenes Award) honours the creative work of an individual or team working behind the scenes, such as a sound engineer, lighting technician, manager, show producer, booker, publisher or administrator. The award is worth €3,500.
  • The "Beschte/n Komponist/in" (Best Composer Award) honours the recent creative work of a Luxembourgish composer. Beyond composers in the traditional sense, the category also recognises creators of sonic identities. The award carries a prize of €3,500.
  • The "Nowuesstalent" (Young Talent Award) recognises a promising career distinguished by its dynamism and recent achievements. The award is worth €2,500.
  • The "Fräizäitmusek" (Outstanding Non-Professional Commitment Award) recognises an individual or collective who make an exceptional contribution to music during their leisure time without pursuing it as a professional career. The award is worth €2,500.

Nomination Procedure

As in the previous edition, the winners will be selected through a two-round procedure, with the exception of the Nationale Musekspräis, whose recipient will be chosen directly by the jury.

In the first round, 84 music professionals will be invited to submit their favourites from the past two years in each eligible category. Based on these nominations, shortlists will be drawn up featuring the five most frequently nominated artists in each category.

In the second round, the jury will select the winners from these shortlists. All categories except the Nationale Musekspräis recognise outstanding achievements from the past two years. Eligible nominees include people active in Luxembourg's music sector who are Luxembourg nationals, residents or have strong cultural ties to the country.

For the 2026 edition of the Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser, the jury has been expanded from five to seven members to ensure broader representation in the deliberations. It comprises individuals recognised for their expertise in music and the wider music sector:

  • Nicole Bausch (Nicool) – artist and psychotherapist, hip-hop musician, initiator and co-producer of the Nikki Ninja & Afrobeathoven project;
  • Pol Belardi – multidisciplinary professional musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist, jazz music teacher and winner of the 2024 Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser in the Op der Bün – Blues/Jazz/World category;
  • Luc Boentges – Head of Opus radio;
  • Véronique Nosbaum – soprano, singing teacher and co-founder of the cantoLX ensemble and the Passions baroque music festival;
  • Danielle Roster – musicologist and art historian, member of the Arts and Letters Section of the Institut grand-ducal and researcher specialising in music history at the University of Luxembourg;
  • Irem Solay (Irem) – singer-songwriter and participant in the Luxembourg Song Contest 2026;
  • Claude Weber (Buffalo C. Wayne) – country singer-songwriter.