The RPS Awards shortlist is out—celebrating the best in UK classical music, from instrumentalists to composers
The shortlist for the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards was announced earlier today, and there’s a whole host of potential winners worth keeping a close Thoroughly Good eye on. Great to see Ben Goldscheider, Laura van der Heijden, and Isata Kanneh-Mason on the Instrumentalist shortlist.
I’m unapologetically biased in rooting for Aldeburgh, shortlisted in two categories—Series and Events, plus Opera and Musical Theatre. Also fantastic to see the LPO Sky Arts documentary nominated for Storytelling. No doubt Claire Booth’s appearance on the Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast will have put her in very good stead for an award. And I have my fingers crossed for The Pink Singers, who featured in one episode of the series way back in 2008.
I’m particularly interested in the Chamber Composition Award, especially Sarah Lianne Lewis, whose continued rise is a testament to her hard work and commitment. I first met Sarah in 2019, while filming a composers’ workshop she was taking part in, and it’s great to see her name cropping up again.
RPS is perhaps the awards ceremony that gives the most accurate picture of the classical music world in the UK. Smaller than you’d expect, tight, and nurturing, there is always a sense of occasion about it. More importantly, the choices even at shortlist stage always feel right. In this way the RPS continues to maintain the awards’ credibility. This year is no exception.
This year, the RPS Awards continues its tour around the country, with the ceremony taking place in Birmingham for the first time. That means some of this year’s shortlisted nominees won’t have far to travel home after the last of the fizz has been sunk. The ceremony takes place at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Thursday, 6 March 2025.
RPS Awards Shortlist 2025
| Award | Shortlist |
| Chamber-Scale Composition supported by Boosey & Hawkes,in memory of Tony Fell | Cassandra Miller – Chanter Sally Beamish – Trance Sarah Lianne Lewis – letting the light in |
| Conductor supported by supported by Newzik | Dinis Sousa Kazuki Yamada Nil Venditti |
| Ensemble supported by Outhere Music Group | CBSO Chorus Paraorchestra Scottish Chamber Orchestra |
| Impact supported by Oxford University Press Music | Re:Discover Festival – Streetwise Opera Singing Medicine – Ex Cathedra World Heart Beat Music Academy |
| Inspiration supported by Presto Music | Katrina Marzella-Wheeler Open Arts Community Choir The Pink Singers Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra |
| Instrumentalist supported by ISM, the Independent Society of Musicians | Ben Goldscheider – horn Isata Kanneh-Mason – piano Laura van der Heijden – cello |
| Large-Scale Composition supported by The Boltini Trust | Ben Nobuto – Hallelujah Sim. Hans Abrahamsen – Concerto for Horn and Orchestra Katherine Balch – whisper concerto |
| Opera and Music Theatre supported by Wise Music Group | Curlew River – Aldeburgh Festival Death in Venice – Welsh National Opera New Year – Birmingham Opera Company |
| Series and Events supported by Warner Classics | Aldeburgh Festival The Cumnock Tryst The Future is Green – Royal Northern College of Music |
| Singer supported by Jenny Hodgson | Claire Booth – soprano David Butt Philip – tenor Francesca Chiejina – soprano |
| Storytelling supported by Martin Randall Festivals | Backstage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra – Sky Arts Cello: A Journey Through Silence to Sound – Kate Kennedy Classical Africa – BBC Radio 3 |
| Young Artist supported by Sir Simon and Victoria,Lady Robey CBE | Charlotte Corderoy – conductor GBSR DuoLeia Zhu – violin |
