Page 66 - Final_RPS Awards 2020 Media Coverage Book

Winners represent a nation of inspirational musicians: cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason raised in
Nottingham receives the Young Artists Award for captivating listeners worldwide; Welsh soprano
Natalya Romaniw receives the Singer Award for her leading roles at Scottish Opera, English
National Opera and Opera Holland Park; and the Scottish Ensemble receives the Ensemble
Award for their innovation and international reach in their 50th birthday year.

Internationally-treasured composer John Williams is announced as the recipient of this
year’s RPS Gold Medal, one of the highest honours in music, recognising outstanding
musicianship since 1870. He has dedicated his life to ensuring orchestral music continues to
speak to and captivate millions of people worldwide. Accepting the medal via video, Williams
said: ‘To receive this award is beyond any expectation I could possibly have. For any composer
to be able to devote his or her life entirely to the composition of music is very fortunate indeed. I’d
like to thank our musicians of our great orchestras in London and in the United States with whom
I’ve worked so happily for so many years.’

Director Steven Spielberg sent his congratulations in a video recorded especially for the RPS,
saying: ‘John, you have brought the classical idiom to young people all over the world through
your scores, and through your classical training and your classical sensibilities. You are in the
DNA of the musical culture of today.’

The new Inspiration Award – introduced to celebrate the extraordinary music-making that has
uplifted the nation in lockdown – goes to six winners: Concerteenies, Diocese of Leeds
Schools Singing Programme, The Opera Story, Stay At Home Choir, #UriPosteJukeBox
and the Virtual Benedetti Sessions. For this award, the RPS opened nominations to the public
for the first time, inviting households nationally to share what has moved them musically since
March: an unprecedented 2,700 nominations were received.

The Impact Award – awarded for initiatives that have a lasting positive effect on people who
may not otherwise experience classical music – goes to City of London Sinfonia for ‘Sound
Young Minds’ which powerfully defines how classical musicians can play a transformative role in
the lives of young people with mental health issues, boosting their confidence, social skills and
trust.

The Gamechanger Award recognising those who break new ground in classical music is
awarded to conductor Jane Glover for earnestly carving a path for women conductors, long
before it became a movement. Aptly complementing that, this year’s Conductor Award goes
to Dalia Stasevska for the energy and integrity she has brought to her new association with the
BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Other winners include: viola player Lawrence Power (Instrumentalist Award), an outstanding
advocate for his instrument, constantly commissioning new works for the viola; composers
Naomi Pinnock (Chamber-Scale Composition) for I am, I am and Frank Denyer (Large-Scale
Composition) for The Fish That Became The Sun which waited 24 years to receive its UK
premiere at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival last year; Kings Place’s year-
long Venus Unwrapped celebrating female artists (Concert Series and Events); Garsington
Opera’s production of The Turn of the Screw (Opera and Music Theatre); and Stephen
Hough’s book ‘Rough Ideas’ (Storytelling).

Winners were announced in the 2020 RPS Awards digital broadcast at 7.00pm on
Wednesday 18 November on the RPS website, where it remains available to view on demand.
Presented by BBC Radio 3’s Georgia Mann, it featured performances by Sheku Kanneh-Mason,
Natalya Romaniw and Lawrence Power, specially filmed at the Wigmore Hall.

Longstanding RPS Awards partner BBC Radio 3 will present a musical celebration of the RPS
Awards winners at 7.30pm on Monday 23 November.