Inspiration Award
The RPS Inspiration Award recognises the remarkable achievements of non-professional musical groups nationwide. Uniquely among the RPS Awards, the recipient of this one is chosen by public vote.
Voting for the 2026 RPS Inspiration Award is now closed: voting was open between 11am on Friday 12 December 2025 and 11am on Monday 2 February 2026. We are very grateful to everyone who took the time to cast a vote this year, in record numbers, and we look forward to celebrating all the shortlistees and announcing the winner at the RPS Awards on Thursday 12 March.
For years, the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards have celebrated the finest classical music-making across the UK. We recently introduced the Inspiration Award – kindly supported this year by our friends at Stainer & Bell – for a non-professional self-run ensemble or individuals who work with such groups, in recognition of the remarkable constellation of such music-makers, often overlooked in awards such as these.
Unlike the other RPS Awards whose winners are chosen by expert independent panels, the winner of this RPS Award is fittingly chosen by the public. A shortlist of four exceptional entities was assembled by an expert panel and, from these, the public are invited to vote for whom they feel should receive this year’s award.
Public voting was open from 12 December 2025 – Monday 2 February 2026,and the winner will be revealed at the 2026 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards on Thursday 12 March – an event to which all music-lovers and music-makers are warmly welcome, with tickets from just £10 (plus venue booking fee). Find out more about the occasion, here on our website.
The four shortlisted nominees are as follows. Click each name to discover more about what makes them particularly special and what they have achieved in the last year.
This year’s shortlist was assembled by a panel who themselves are dedicated year-round to working with non-professional groups, comprising:
Aga Serugo-Lugo – Performer / workshop leader
Ben Saffell – Deputy Chief Executive, Making Music
Caroline Tress – Chief Executive, Sinfonia Cymru
Clare Edwards – Director of Learning & Events, Young Voices / Music Director, Notorious Choir
Katrina Marzella-Wheeler – Conductor / Principal Conductor, the cooperation band
The RPS is particularly thankful to Making Music – the UK’s principal organisation supporting leisure-time music-making – for their help and insights in planning this award.
Recent recipients of the RPS Inspiration Award include Belfast’s Open Arts Community Choir in 2025, and previously Derwent Brass, Torbay Symphony Orchestra, and Hilary Campbell and Bristol Choral Society.
The RPS Inspiration Award is generously supported by Stainer & Bell.
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