Simon Jay Price
Inspirational music organisations and projects large and small have been recognised by the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS), which has announced its 2014 Music Awards. Among the winners was Champs Hill, a privately-run 160-seat concert hall and record label based in West Sussex. A “labour of love” started by couple David and Mary Bowerman, it was praised for nurturing young talent in a calm and supportive environment. At the other end of the scale, Glyndebourne triumphed in the Leaning and Participation category, recognised for Imago, an ambitious multi-generational community opera that tackled social challenges. It was praised for achieving “artistic, educational and technical excellence”. The Audiences and Engagement award went to Britten100, an “unprecedented collaboration” between the Britten-Pears Foundation and national and international partners celebrating Benjamin Britten’s centenary. It was applauded by the jury for its “scale, ambition and diversity”, and for “drawing new, appreciative audiences to Britten worldwide”. Touch Press was recognised in the Creative Communication category for its ipad apps, which were declared “a new pinnacle in the marriage of performance, interpretation and new technology”.
The RPS Music Awards are presented in association with BBC Radio 3, and honour performers, composers and organisations. This year’s awards saw Composer Harrison Birtwistle become the most honoured musician in RPS Music Awards history, and the flag raised high for contemporary music, with successes for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Southbank Centre’s The Rest is Noise festival.
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