The Salomon Prize is the only major award presented to an orchestral musician working in Britain. It celebrates the extraordinary talent, versatility and passion of today’s orchestral players, not only in performances onstage, but in countless other settings, inspiring those who may never set foot in a concert hall.

Janet has been a member of the Manchester Camerata – one of Britain’s foremost chamber orchestras – for over 30 years. In the 2017-18 season alone, she performed to over 37,000 people. She has played a central role in countless educational initiatives, including Mrs Maestro which drew on her talents as performer and orator to engage people with dementia, and Classically Yours in which she spent days in care homes and schools helping local people to make music, many for the first time.

The awarding panel, comprising leading figures working in classical music, says: ‘Janet has an outstanding vocation as a musician and demonstrates an enthusiasm for a really diverse range of work, epitomising the many ways that musicians contribute to society. Despite a long and successful career, she remains curious and open minded, never shirking from championing important issues. The love and respect she is given by her colleagues can be summed up in the words they used when nominating her: Janet is part of the fabric and DNA of our orchestra and its communities. We feel that her passion for music and her constant drive to improve people’s lives deserves to be recognised.’

The Salomon Prize takes its name from violinist and a founder of the RPS, Johann Peter Salomon (1745 – 1815) who did much himself to enrich the impact and spirit of classical music in Britain. The prize itself – £1,000 and a commemorative etching by William Daniell made in 1810 to be held by the recipient for the year – was presented as a surprise to Janet on the concert stage at Stoller Hall by Mark Pemberton, Director of the ABO, on Thursday 2 May.

Given the extraordinary range of talent represented in Britain’s orchestras, the panel also wishes to make special commendation of two other players:

Jackie Shave, leader of Britten Sinfonia, is a trailblazing artist who always sets an extraordinary high standard as player and director. She has a keen interest in the widest range of repertoire, always playing as though she was born to champion that particular genre. She is greatly respected by orchestral colleagues, conductors and composers, many of whom have been inspired by her artistry.

Bradley Creswick, leader of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, has been a consistently inspirational leader since joining the orchestra in 1984. Whilst in demand worldwide, he has always been dedicated to his role in Gateshead. He has made a unique contribution to British orchestral playing, never concerned with his own status, always championing the greater good of music.

The 2019 Salomon Prize is kindly supported by musicalchairs, the world’s leading online recruitment resource for classical music professionals and students.