For the outstanding quality and scope of the performances to a live or digital audience, and the work in any context, of an individual performer on any instrument in the UK.

Laura van der Heijden - cello

'In everything she does, cellist Laura van der Heijden embodies excellence and integrity, fulfilled with heart. You’ll hear it in her superb concerto debut disc and the luminous Path to the Moon she recorded for Chandos this year. It’s in her boundless collaborations with Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective and as a Kings Place Artist in Focus. It radiated at the BBC Proms in Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s Earth, Sea and Air written specially for Laura, showcasing an artist truly in her prime.'

Also shortlisted:

• Ben Goldscheider - horn
• Isata Kanneh-Mason - piano

The 2025 shortlist for the RPS Instrumentalist Award was decided by an independent panel drawn from across the music profession comprising:

Andrew Comben – Chief Executive, Britten Pears Arts
Ausiàs Garrigós Morant – Bass Clarinet, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Emily Granozio – General Manager, Hebrides Ensemble / Director and Creative Consultant, Gratia Arts
Hannah Donat – Director of Artistic Planning, BBC Proms
James Thomas – Director, Royal Northern Sinfonia