Royal Philharmonic Society Awards Reveals 2025 Shortlist

Among the nominees across 12 categories include the soprano Francesca Chiejina and violinist Leia Zhu

A registered charity supporting and championing artists, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s (RPS) 2025 Awards has nominated over 30 artists across 12 award categories. 

This year’s RPS Awards will be presented for the first time in Birmingham at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on March 6, 2025. 

To feature performances from the nominees, the ceremony will be hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenters Jess Gillam and Tom McKinney; the trophies will be presented by RPS Chair Angela Dixon.

The event will also be filmed to watch on the RPS website from March 17 and BBC Radio 3 will present a special broadcast on March 7, 2025.

“We often see classical music make news due to setbacks and funding cuts,” said RPS Chief Executive James Murphy. “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,” he added. “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.”

The 2025 RPS Award nominees are:

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