2026 Highlights

Music-lovers and music-makers came together to celebrate the UK's extraordinary classical musicians and musical initiatives at the 2026 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, presented at the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall on Thursday 12 March. Click here to read all about the occasion and this year's winners in our news story.

We are pleased to share the complete film of the event for you to watch freely. Whatever your interest in classical music, we hope the stories, achievements, and live performances featured inspire you, and give you renewed faith in the power of music-making UK-wide.

Here we share a range of photos – courtesy of Mark Allan Photography – from a night celebrating music-making nationwide. You can also click here to browse through the brochure that all attendees received at this year's event.

Members of Welsh choir Cantorion Llandrindod, shortlisted for the RPS Inspiration Award, arrive at the Queen Elizabeth Hall for the night's festivities (photo: Mark Allan)
RPS Composers Nneka Cummins, Natalie Roe, and British Council Music's Shannon-Latoyah Simon join us to celebrate (photo: Mark Allan)
Clockwise: RPS Inspiration Award shortlistees Bradford Accordion Band; jazz singer and radio presenter Jumoké Fashola; violinist Tasmin Little; TV personality Alexander Dragonetti; Classic FM presenter and RPS Council Member Alexander Armstrong (photos: Mark Allan)
Representatives from Glyndebourne's 'Uprising', winners of the 2026 RPS Opera and Music Theatre Award (photo: Mark Allan)
Clockwise: Choirmaster and presenter Gareth Malone with BBC Radio 3 presenter and RPS Council Member Hannah French; RPS Instrumentalist Award shortlistee pianist Nicholas McCarthy with guests Simon Robinson and composer Ben Lunn; ISM president Gabriella Swallow and actor Alexander Macqueen; musician and broadcaster Ellie Ajao and cellist Sophie Kauer (photo: Mark Allan)
Singers Niamh O'Sullivan, Tia Radix-Callixte and Lotte Betts-Dean, and pianist Christopher Glynn open the show (photo: Mark Allan)
This year's hosts, BBC Radio 3 presenters Georgia Mann and Petroc Trelawny (photo: Mark Allan)
Clockwise: composer Claudia Molitor (receiving the RPS Chamber-Scale Composition Award); soprano Louise Alder (receiving the RPS Singer Award); Jacob Collier (receiving the RPS Gamechanger Award); Isabella Nevin, Ambassador for Orchestras for All (receiving the RPS Impact Award); composer Mark-Anthony Turnage (receiving the RPS Large-Scale Composition Award); author and presenter Elizabeth Alker (receiving the RPS Storytelling Award); conductor John Wilson (receiving the RPS Conductor Award) (photos: Mark Allan)
Southbank Centre's 'Multitudes' receives the RPS Series and Events Award – pictured with RPS Chair Angela Dixon (photo: Mark Allan)
Claudia Molitor receives the RPS Chamber-Scale Composition Award for 'Fever' – pictured with RPS Chair Angela Dixon (photo: Mark Allan)
Fife's Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society receive the RPS Inspiration Award, uniquely decided by public vote – pictured with RPS Chair Angela Dixon (photo: Mark Allan)
Glyndebourne's 'Uprising' is awarded the 2026 RPS Opera and Music Theatre Award – pictured with RPS Chair Angela Dixon (photo: Mark Allan)
RPS Young Artist Award winner Matilda Lloyd performs Pauline Viardot's 'Havanaise' with members of the London Mozart Players – Ruth Rogers, violin; Jessica Coleman, violin; Christine Anderson, viola; Katherine Jenkinson, cello (photo: Mark Allan)
2026 RPS Gamechanger Award winner Jacob Collier closed the show with a live performance, rousing the entire audience to sing – pictured with BSL interpreter Kate Green (photo: Mark Allan)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, winners of the 2026 RPS Ensemble Award (Gregor Stewart, Chair and Alistair Mackie, Chief Executive) (photo: Mark Allan)
RPS Instrumentalist Award-winner trombonist Peter Moore (third from left) with Award Supporters The Early Music Shop (photo: Mark Allan)
From left: RPS Singer Award-winner Louise Alder; RPS Young Artist Award-winner Matilda Lloyd; RPS Large-Scale Composition Award-winner Mark-Anthony Turnage (photo: Mark Allan)
Orchestras for All, recipients of the RPS Impact Award, celebrate alongside Award Supporters Oxford University Press Music (photo: Mark Allan)
RPS Gamechanger Award-winner Jacob Collier with Rachel Shapey, the founder of I Can Compose (RPS Gamechanger Award Supporter) (photo: Mark Allan)
Elizabeth Alker, winner of the RPS Storytelling Award for her book 'Everything We Do Is Music', with Award Supporters Martin Randall Festivals (photo: Mark Allan)
RPS Conductor Award-winner John Wilson and RPS Instrumentalist Award-winner Peter Moore celebrate together after the show (photo: Mark Allan)

Our thanks to this year's Principal Supporters – BBC Radio 3, ABRSM, BBC Music Magazine, Decca Classics, Dorico from Steinberg, Presto Music, PRS for Music, Sir Simon and Victoria, Lady Robey CBE – and all this year's individual Award supporters, as well as all our RPS Members, RPS Fellows and supporters for their help in making this year's RPS Awards happen.