The Royal Philharmonic Society has unveiled its shortlist of contenders for its annual Awards, given in recognition of achievement in live music-making, and in education and outreach work.

Several of the categories look to be particularly hard-fought between artists regularly praised for their achievements on record in Gramophone’s pages. Pianists Daniil Trifonov and Maria João Pires, and violinist Christian Tetzlaff, make for a very strong Instrumentalist short-list; singers Iestyn Davies, Andrew Watts and Roderick Williams are competing for the singer category; while Sakari Oramo, Vasily Petrenko and Mark Wigglesworth are in the conductor shortlist. 

One of the RPS Awards' biggest successes has been to raise awareness through its Awards of some of the most inspiring initiatives reaching out to new audiences throughout the UK. Among the contenders in the Audiences and Engagement category are the Steve Reich Clapping Music App from the London Sinfonietta, Touchpress and Queen Mary University London, and the attention-grabbing Multi-Story orchestra which has staged concerts in, among other places, a multi-storey car-park in Peckham. BBC Music’s Ten Pieces project and former Gramophone Award-winners Streetwise Opera are both in the shortlist for Learning and Participation.

‘I hope that the RPS Music Awards deliver a clear message: classical music offers joyous, sometimes profound, often uplifting experiences – and it’s for everyone, regardless of who they are, or where they come from!’, said John Gilhooly, RPS chairman. 

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on May 10, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 the following day at 7.30pm. 

For the full shortlist, visit the RPS website.