The RPS Gold Medal was initiated in 1870 to commemorate the centenary of Beethoven’s birth and bears the image of Beethoven. It is the Society’s highest honour and is awarded internationally for the most outstanding musicianship.
1871 - 1899 / 1900 - 1949 / 1950 - 1999 / 2000 to date
2000
Placido Domingo opera singer
Simon Rattle conductor
2002
Joan Sutherland soprano
2003
Claudio Abbado conductor
2004
György Ligeti composer
2005
Charles Mackerras conductor
2007
Daniel Barenboim pianist, conductor
2008
Henri Dutilleux composer
2009
Thomas Quasthoff bass-baritone
2010
Nikolaus Harnoncourt conductor
2012
Mitsuko Uchida piano
2013
György Kurtág composer, piano
András Schiff piano
2014
John Tomlinson bass
2015
Martha Argerich piano
Antonio Pappano conductor
2016
Peter Maxwell Davies composer
2017
Charles Dutoit conductor
Mariss Jansons conductor
2018
Jessye Norman soprano
2019
Sofia Gubaidulina composer
2020
John Williams composer
2021
Vladimir Jurowski conductor
2023
Anne-Sophie Mutter violin
2024Thomas Adès composer, conductor, pianist
Arvo Pärtcomposer