It was founded by the eminent piano accompanist – and RPS Honorary Member – Graham Johnson in 1992 in memory of Gerald Moore, himself an RPS Honorary Member and an iconic figure among accompanists in the 20th century, and it is made possible by the generosity of the pianist’s family.

Since its launch, the Gerald Moore Award has been presented biennially to exceptional piano accompanists, usually in the early stages of very promising careers. Its list of winners who have each received a grant and professional support includes a host of familiar names who have proceeded to become treasured presences on the international stage.

Previously, the Gerald Moore Award had been its own registered charity but in 2022 – its 30th year – we were very pleased to make its new home at the RPS, among the other awards we present to musicians. Each year, we will invite a range of expert colleagues and teachers to nominate potential beneficiaries. We will then invite those nominated to submit online examples of their work to be reviewed by a panel of established accompanists (different from those who have nominated), chaired by Graham Johnson.

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 recipient is Ella O'Neill.

We will be working with Graham to further the profile and impact of the Award and look forward to continuing all the good it does for the treasured art of piano accompaniment. 

Please contact us if you have any queries about the Award. We are dearly grateful to all those who have helped the Award to prosper and do such good for so many accompanists in its first 30 years. If you might like to help us ensure it continues well into the future, we would be so pleased to hear from you.