On Wednesday, 26 August, the Glass Hall opens its doors for an evening where you can meet the recipients of the Tivoli Jazz Prize 2026 and experience them performing live alongside the renowned Tivoli Orchestra. Expect an outstanding line-up of some of Denmark’s most prominent jazz musicians in a truly unique setting.

Join us for this celebration of jazz – get your ticket today.

The photo above shows Casper Hejlesen who receives the Innovator of the Year award. Photo: Bjørn Schou

This year’s six award recipients

Ann Farholt & Simon Spang-Hanssen – Inspirators of the Year
Each receives DKK 25,000 from the Beckett Foundation.

Casper Hejlesen – Innovator of the Year
Receives DKK 30,000 from the William Demant Foundation.

Kat Jarby – Communicator of the Year
Receives DKK 20,000 from the William Demant Foundation.

Jeppe Zeeberg – René Daugaard Grant
Receives DKK 20,000 from the René Daugaard Grant.

Rune Thorsteinsson – Children’s Jazz Prize
Receives DKK 30,000 from the Gangsted Foundation.

Congratulations to all the recipients!

Naya Buric hosts the evening

Naya Buric, Head of Music and radio host at DR P8 Jazz, will guide us through the evening’s live performances and award presentations as host. With her engaging storytelling about the music and its artists, Naya has a remarkable ability to bring jazz vividly to life for audiences. She has hosted the Tivoli Jazz Prize since 2023.

The award committee citations

Inspirator of the Year – Ann Farholt

Ann Farholt receives this award in recognition of her many years as one of Danish jazz’s most beloved vocalists. With her warmth, irresistible swing and exceptional stage presence, she has shaped the Danish jazz scene for decades and consistently creates a genuine connection with her audiences. Whether performing on large or intimate stages, she delivers concerts of the highest calibre, marked by musicality, humour and generosity. Ann is a true master of the jazz tradition, and her infectious joy for music brings hope, warmth and delight to everyone who experiences her performances.

Inspirator of the Year – Simon Spang-Hanssen

Simon Spang-Hanssen is an exceptionally creative and original musician and composer whose infectious energy, curiosity and dedication have made him a central figure on the Danish music scene. He continuously launches new projects, often bringing together musicians from different generations and musical traditions. His work spans a wide stylistic range, and his extensive discography reflects his international reach. Since the 1970s, Simon’s vibrant and expressive saxophone playing has consistently looked ahead, driven by its unmistakable boldness, imagination and forward momentum.

Communicator of the Year – Kat Jarby

Kat Jarby receives this award in recognition of her visionary work in strengthening and promoting the Danish jazz scene, both nationally and internationally. As a manager, curator, project leader and organiser, she has created new opportunities for artists and has been a driving force behind numerous successful collaborations and international initiatives. At the same time, she has made a significant contribution to the professionalisation of the industry and to strengthening the framework for artist management in Denmark. With this award, the committee recognises Kat’s unwavering commitment, outstanding expertise and lasting impact on the development of Danish jazz.

Innovator of the Year – Casper Hejlesen

Casper Hejlesen receives this award in recognition of his extraordinary musical talent and remarkable development as one of the most outstanding jazz musicians of his generation. Combining exceptional technical command with strong artistic curiosity and a rapidly growing international career, Casper has established himself within just a few years as one of the most sought-after guitarists on the Danish and European jazz scenes. He combines a consistently high artistic standard with a rare maturity in his musical expression, and the committee sees exceptional potential in an artist who is already making a significant mark on the jazz world.

René Daugaard Grant – Jeppe Zeeberg

Jeppe Zeeberg receives this grant in recognition of his distinctive and highly individual approach to music itself. With discipline, courage and humour, he explores the possibilities of music and the piano, drawing inspiration from everything between ragtime and the avant-garde. His artistic practice is characterised by rare originality, uncompromising vision and boundless imagination, and over many years he has developed a musical language that is unmistakably his own. Jeppe challenges both audiences and fellow musicians with a musical vocabulary that expands our understanding of the jazz piano tradition. Through his deeply personal approach to the instrument, he gently yet persistently leads listeners into ever deeper musical territory.

Children’s Jazz Prize – Rune Thorsteinsson

Rune Thorsteinsson is an exceptional communicator who, over many years, has developed innovative concert and educational formats in which audiences of all ages – and especially children – become active participants in the music-making process. He combines outstanding artistic quality with playfulness, movement and improvisation in a way that makes jazz vibrant, engaging and accessible to everyone. Rune brings enormous experience to his work and performs at an exceptional level in everything he does.

Developed in partnership between Tivoli and Jazz Danmark

The Tivoli Jazz Prize is a collaboration between Tivoli and Jazz Danmark, celebrating outstanding achievements in jazz through a series of grants made possible by the William Demant Foundation, the Gangsted Foundation, the Beckett Foundation and the legacy of René “Jean René” Daugaard. The Tivoli Jazz Prize has existed in its current form since 2023.

Practical information

Tivoli Jazz Prize 2026
Wednesday, 26 August, 7.00–8.30 pm
Doors open at 6.30 pm.
Glass Hall, Tivoli
Tickets here: DKK 195–220 (including booking fee and Tivoli admission).