

2025 RPS Awards shortlists announced
30 Jan 2025
We are delighted to announce the shortlists for this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society Awards and invite you to join us for the event on Thursday 6 March, with tickets from only £10.
‘The biggest night in UK classical music’ (The Sunday Times) is all set to return, casting a light on the individuals, groups and initiatives musically inspiring communities and lifting spirits and morale across the UK.
The RPS Awards will be presented for the first time ever in Birmingham, a city with a remarkable musical heritage and community, as represented by several of this year’s shortlisted nominees. The RPS Awards will take place at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Thursday 6 March 2025 with tickets priced affordably from £10 to £30 so music-lovers can come and be part of the experience. Click here to book tickets.
RPS Chief Executive James Murphy says: ‘We often see classical music make news due to setbacks and funding cuts. Yet a resoundingly different story is being forged by musicians nationwide who – whatever they face – resiliently, creatively keep giving everything they have for the benefit of others. Communities recognise this, and they treasure it. This is the message we need more people to hear. Let’s all take pride in the story of Britain’s inspirational musicians, represented by this year’s shortlists. We warmly invite you to join us for an uplifting and exciting occasion celebrating what they do, at this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.’
- Classical music’s power to change lives for the better and bring communities together is proven once again by newsworthy initiatives: Streetwise Opera’s Re:Discover Festival has given a unique platform and voice to people who have experienced homelessness, World Heart Beat Music Academy is a vital haven for disadvantaged young people to find strength and community through music-making, and Ex Cathedra’s Singing Medicine sees musicians brightening the lives of sick and isolated children at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
- This is a truly national success story, with nominees in all four nations: Scottish representatives include the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, community festival The Cumnock Tryst and brass band pioneer Katrina Marzella-Wheeler; Welsh representatives include Welsh National Opera; Northern Ireland is represented by the inspirational Open Arts Community Choir; strongly representing Birmingham and the West Midlands are Birmingham Opera Company, two choirs – CBSO Chorus and Ex Cathedra – and the non-professional talents of Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra.
- Disabled artists are celebrated, with nominations for the trailblazing Paraorchestra, composer Sarah Lianne Lewis, and Belfast’s Open Arts Community Choir and its dedicated music director Beverley McGeown.
- Of the individual performers shortlisted, 50% this year represent the global majority including Music Director of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Kazuki Yamada, soprano Francesca Chiejina, and 18-year-old virtuoso violinist Leia Zhu.
- Among the star names nominated are three BBC Young Musician finalists all up for the Instrumentalist Award – pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, horn player Ben Goldscheider, and cellist Laura van der Heijden – and composer Ben Nobuto whose Hallelujah Sim. at the First Night of the BBC Proms was an instant hit at the Royal Albert Hall and online.
- The UK’s constellation of amateur groups is recognised with the RPS Inspiration Award, the winner of which is decided by public vote from a shortlist comprising brass band director Katrina Marzella-Wheeler, Belfast’s Open Arts Community Choir, Europe’s oldest LGBTQ+ community choir The Pink Singers, and Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra. Visit the RPS website by 11am on Monday 3 February 2025 to discover more about the nominees and cast your vote for this award.
This year’s RPS Awards, featuring performances from a range of nominees, is hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenters Jess Gillam and Tom McKinney with trophies presented by RPS Chair Angela Dixon. The event will be filmed to watch on the RPS website from Monday 17 March and BBC Radio 3 presents a special broadcast featuring music of the winners and nominees on Friday 7 March.
The RPS Awards can only happen thanks to dedicated supporters, and the charity is especially grateful to this year’s Principal Supporters – BBC Radio 3, ABRSM, BBC Music Magazine, Dorico from Steinberg and PRS for Music – and those who support individual awards as detailed below.
Chamber-Scale Composition
supported by Boosey & Hawkes in memory of Tony Fell
Cassandra Miller Chanter
Sally Beamish Trance
Sarah Lianne-Lewis letting the light in
Conductor
supported by Newzik
Dinis Sousa
Kazuki Yamada
Nil Venditti
Ensemble
supported by Outhere Music Group
CBSO Chorus
Paraorchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Impact
supported by Oxford University Press Music
Re:Discover Festival – Streetwise Opera
Singing Medicine – Ex Cathedra
World Heart Beat Music Academy
Inspiration
supported by Presto Music
Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
Open Arts Community Choir
The Pink Singers
Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra
Instrumentalist
supported by ISM, the Independent Society of Musicians
Ben Goldscheider horn
Isata Kanneh-Mason piano
Laura van der Heijden cello
Large-Scale Composition
supported by The Boltini Trust
Ben Nobuto Hallelujah Sim.
Hans Abrahamsen Concerto for Horn and Orchestra
Katherine Balch whisper concerto
Opera and Music Theatre
supported by Wise Music Group
Curlew River – Aldeburgh Festival
Death in Venice – Welsh National Opera
New Year – Birmingham Opera Company
Series and Events
supported by Warner Classics
Aldeburgh Festival
The Cumnock Tryst
The Future is Green – Royal Northern College of Music
Singer
supported by Jenny Hodgson
Claire Booth soprano
David Butt Philip tenor
Francesca Chiejina soprano
Storytelling
supported by Martin Randall Festivals
Backstage with the London Philharmonic Orchestra – Sky Arts
Cello: A Journey Through Silence to Sound – Kate Kennedy
Classical Africa – BBC Radio 3
Young Artist
supported by Sir Simon and Victoria, Lady Robey CBE
Charlotte Corderoy conductor
GBSR Duo
Leia Zhu violin
Follow all the #RPSAwards news @RoyalPhilSoc on X/Twitter, BlueSky, Facebook and Instagram.
If you are a member of the press and would like further information about the RPS Awards, please contact Maddie Castell at Rebecca Driver Media Relations.
