Latvian composer Annija Anna Zarina has been announced as the winner of the Tera de Marez Oyens Prize 2026, receiving the award for I, a work for voice and pre-recorded voice. The live final of the ninth edition took place on 12 September during the Gaudeamus Festival 2026 at Theater Kikker in Utrecht.
The jury praised Zarina’s performance for its engaging and effective staging, clear score and instructions, simple concept, and compelling development over time. Her work stood out for the way it captured and sustained the audience’s attention through a focused and inventive musical concept.
Born in 2000, Zarina studied composition at the Academy of Music Riga and the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Composition at Yale University in New Haven, USA.
The Tera de Marez Oyens Prize supports recently graduated composers in the Netherlands and helps them take the next step towards a professional career. As the 2026 winner, Zarina receives €2,500 towards the creation of a new short composition for professional ensemble. The new work will be performed at the 2027 Gaudeamus Festival and, in collaboration with Donemus Publishing, will be published and distributed internationally.
The 2026 jury consisted of composers, performers, programmers and music professionals Aspasia Nasopoulou, Jonas Bisquert, Brandt Attema, Astrid Haring/Ellen Overweel, with David de Marez Oyens as chairman. During the jury’s deliberations, the MOM Consort performed Tera de Marez Oyens’ Mixed Feelings.
The Tera de Marez Oyens Prize is made possible with the support of SENA Performers and is dedicated to fostering new generations of composers and connecting emerging talent with the professional music field.
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