Anne-Sophie Mutter and Judith Weir receive RPS honours

The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) has presented composer and master of the king’s music Judith Weir CBE with an RPS Honorary Membership. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter was also awarded the RPS Gold medal. Recipients of RPS Honorary Membership and the Gold Medal are selected annually by the RPS Board and Council.

Since 1826, RPS Honorary Membership has been presented ‘in recognition of those who devote their lives to music and uplifting others with it’. Weir was presented with her honorary membership by The King at a concert of Handel’s Coronation Anthems presented by Wigmore Hall in London yesterday (6 June). She joins a long line of recipients including Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, Verdi, Dvorák, Clara Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Ravel and Stravinsky as well as recent recipients Dame Evelyn Glennie, Sir George Benjamin, Marin Alsop, Stephen Sondheim and Dame Sarah Connolly.

As Weir received her award RPS council member Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason thanked the composer for her music, particularly her works for last month’s coronation. She said: ‘Musicians often seem like magicians, and this certainly comes to mind when listening to Judith’s spellbinding music… The abundant, boundless qualities of her music are matched by her own generosity of spirit: throughout her career, Judith has devotedly helped others to find their voice and fulfil their musical calling. She has created new works for countless community groups and schools from Aberdeen to Dover.’

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter received her medal from RPS chairman John Gilhooly onstage during her concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday (4 June). Awarded to ‘the finest musicians of any nationality’, the Gold Medal recognises ‘the most outstanding musicianship’. Previous recipients include Brahms, Elgar, Britten, Bernstein, Kathleen Ferrier, John Barbirolli, and more recently Jessye Norman, Daniel Barenboim, Antonio Pappano, Simon Rattle and Mitsuko Uchida.

Presenting the medal, Gilhooly said: ‘You are an inspiration to so many aspiring violinists. Your care and devotion to individually helping them overcome hurdles with the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation is especially treasured. Let us also commend how you use your music-making to draw minds to humanitarian matters, not least through your concerts this last year in support of the people of Ukraine.’