Page 128 - FINAL_RPS Awards 2021 Coverage Book_Full (2)

the best of themselves for others, at times of immense personal

challenge.

"This year’s RPS Awards winners are representative of countless
music-makers across the UK whom we should all treasure: they

have collectively kept our spirits high and will continue to play an

invaluable, central role in the nation’s recovery," he added.

The Impact Award — for initiatives that prove music’s vital,
empowering role in society — went to English National

Opera’s ENO Breathe program, drawing on the expertise of opera
singers and colleagues at Imperial College Healthcare to help

hundreds of long-Covid sufferers across the UK positively address
their breathing and anxiety.

Following the success of her Benedetti Foundation Virtual
Sessions during the pandemic, violinist Nicola Benedetti received

the Instrumental Award for her work as an artist, educator, and
advocate creating inspiring online content for thousands of young

musicians worldwide.

For the first time in RPS Awards history, the public was asked to

choose one of the winners. Hilary Campbell and the Bristol Choral
Society were voted the winners of the newly

introduced Inspiration Award, given to a non-professional
ensemble or individual often overlooked by other awards.

Other winners that also illustrated classical music enriching lives
across the nation include: the Chorus of Royal Northern

Sinfonia received the Series and Events Award; Principal
Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Ryan

Bancroft received the Conductor Award; Scotland’s Dunedin
Consort received the Ensemble Award; and Kadiatu Kanneh-

Mason from Nottingham received the Storytelling Award for her