Page 365 - Aldeburgh Festival 2022 FINAL COVERAGE BOOK

Patronage provides important recognition of key organisations and charities, a
confidence and prestige boost for a sector that needs all the support it can get.

This extends to recognition of individual musicians; in 2005, Her Majesty inaugurated
the Queen’s Medal For Music, an annual award for a musician or group who have

been a force for good in British musical life.

Sir Charles Mackerras was its first recipient and has since been followed by the likes
of Colin Davis, Emma Kirkby and Nicola Benedetti.

Of course, back in 1953, the Coronation saw a unique coming-together of the crème

of British musical talent.

Adrian Boult conducted a special ‘Coronation Orchestra’ assembled for the service;

each violinist was the leader of a major British orchestra or chamber ensemble. It
was the elite of the elite.

The same can be said for the vocal forces, which (amazingly) included the choirs of
the Chapel Royal, St George’s Chapel, Windsor, Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s

Cathedral.

To bolster these modest forces were 20 trebles from parish churches across the UK.
This led to a grand total of 348 singers, plus 60 orchestral musicians!

There is also one little-acknowledged link between the monarch and music. Military

bands provide work for an astounding range of talented musicians.

The catastrophic financial impact of the COVID pandemic saw top players leave the

classical orchestral world to join military bands.

It is a depressingly rare privilege for a British musician to have full employment and a
regular paycheque, plus university degrees and other qualifications paid for… not to
mention the chance to perform on aircraft carriers, the forecourt of Buckingham

Palace and at James Bond film premieres.

Military bands are a major employer of talented musicians, and the Queen – as
Commander-in-Chief – is technically their boss.

With such links to musical venues, charities and performers, it is no surprise that the

Platinum Jubilee will provide a spectacular musical showcase.