The winners of the 2009 Praemium Imperiale Awards, honouring outstanding contributions to the arts, were announced today. Five leading international figures were selected by the Japan Art Association, and recognised in the field of music was pianist Alfred Brendel. Selected alongside Brendel were photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, sculptor Richard Long, architect Zaha Hadid and playwright Tom Stoppard. They join an impressive list of former laureates, including music winners Györgi Ligeti, Mstislav Rostropovich, Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim. The Praemium Imperiale has been awarded annually since its inauguration in 1989.