HRH The Prince of Wales conferred honours on leading names in the international music world at a ceremony held at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London on 3 March 2020. Prince Charles is President of the College.
Those honoured include internationally acclaimed conductor and Music Director of the Royal Opera House Sir Antonio Pappano, who received an honorary doctorate from the College. Pappano has nurtured many former students as they progress from the RCM Opera Studio on to the professional stage, with numerous students having been accepted onto the Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme in recent years.
Tenor Jonas Kaufmann also received an honorary doctorate. Described by the New York Times as ‘the most important, versatile tenor of his generation’, Kaufmann has won four Gramophone Awards for his operatic albums.
Among the individuals made Fellows of the RCM today were Music Director of English National Opera Martyn Brabbins, Grammy-nominated composer, Classic FM’s Composer in Residence and RCM Visiting Professor Debbie Wiseman OBE and Academy-Award-winning composer Rachel Portman OBE. Portman was the first female composer to win an Academy Award in the category of Best Musical or Comedy Score (for Emma in 1996). She was also the first woman to receive the Richard Kirk Award at the BMI Film & TV Awards for her contributions to film and television music.
Other notable honorands included jazz trumpeter Mark Armstrong, pianist Elizabeth Burley, harpsichord player Terry Charlston, horn player Simon Raynor and acclaimed international pianist Kathryn Stott.
Rachel Portman said:
‘I feel extremely humbled to be receiving this honour from the Royal College of Music. To be included alongside such esteemed giants of composers and musicians whose ranks I could only dream of aspiring to join is a very great honour.’
Professor Colin Lawson CBE, Director of the Royal College of Music, said:
‘The President’s visit is always a significant moment in the Royal College of Music’s calendar and this year we honour some exceptional musicians, including some of the biggest names in the world of opera, and two of the foremost film and TV composers of our generation. I hope our talented students continue to be inspired by the wonderful musicians we honour each year and aspire to reach similar heights of musical success.’
Photo: HRH The Prince of Wales with Rachel Portman OBE at the Royal College of Music
