On 6 March 2025 the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards took place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenters Jess Gillam and Tom KcKinney.
The evening highlighted the organisations, people and initiatives keeping classical music-making alive and well in the UK. There were superb live performances from Ex Cathedra Student Scholars; Laura van der Heijden with pianist Joachim Lim; double bassist Leon Bosch with pianist Maria Linares Molero; and horn player Ben Goldscheider.
All photo credits: Greg Milner
I Can Compose was thrilled to sponsor the prestigious Gamechanger Award, which was presented to NMC Recordings. This organisation is doing vital work in new music, supporting and representing living composers, and increasing diversity in the music industry – NMC Recordings launched the first commercial album to showcase disabled composers working in the UK.
In his video message, Sir Simon Rattle spoke highly of NMC Recordings: “In our profession, we really need to be evangelists for music. NMC has been this from the word go, recording the music of nearly 500 composers from the British Isles. They’re making our art form live and breathe in a most spectacular way.”
Complete list of this year’s RPS Awards Winners:
- Chamber-Scale Composition Sarah Lianne Lewis – letting the light in
- Conductor Kazuki Yamada
- Ensemble Paraorchestra
- Gamechanger NMC Recordings
- Impact Re:Discover Festival – Streetwise Opera
- Inspiration Open Arts Community Choir
- Instrumentalist Laura van der Heijden – cello
- Large-Scale Composition Katherine Balch – whisper concerto
- Opera and Music Theatre Death in Venice – Welsh National Opera
- Series and Events The Cumnock Tryst
- Singer Claire Booth – soprano
- Storytelling Classical Africa – BBC Radio 3
- Young Artist GBSR Duo
Watch the awards!
A film of the RPS Awards presentation will be freely available to watch for one month on the RPS website from Monday 17 March 2025.
