Interview with Richard Taruskin

Abstract

The Japanese Kyoto Prize, which is a counterpart of the Nobel Prize, addresses itself more to the arts, while literature, humanities, and sciences are also within its orbit. Composers receive a remarkably warm welcome. Among its laureates, we find Witold Lutosławski, Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen, John Cage, György Ligeti, and Iannis Xenakis. However, since its institution in 1985, musicologists had never been nominated. Whatever the reasoning behind the previous lack of nomination, granting this award to a musicologist has justly elevated the prestige of this profession in public opinion, and the candidate, Richard Taruskin, was a particularly commendable choice. Even his opponents could hardly suggest an alternative candidate of similar caliber. 
Min-Ad, as a representative of the Israel Musicological Society, congratulates Richard Taruskin—the 2017 Kyoto Prize laureate. This event provided a good reason for an interview by correspondence.