About
The RPS combines the voice of experience with the energy of a young kid, forever dreaming up new ways of fulfilling a brief which is nothing less than 'to create a future for music'. Keith Clarke, Classical Music Magazine
The Royal Philharmonic Society is one of the two oldest music societies in the world. It was formed on 24 January 1813 with the aim ‘to promote the performance, in the most perfect manner possible of the best and most approved instrumental music’, which it did principally by giving regular public orchestral concerts in London. At that time there were no permanent orchestras in London nor any organised series of chamber music concerts. The RPS continued to give orchestral concerts through two world wars.
Today the RPS seeks to create a future for music through the encouragement of creativity, the recognition of excellence and the promotion of understanding. The Society’s artistic activities focus on composers and young musicians and through a programme of audience development, awards and lectures it seeks to raise the public consciousness of the finest music making today and to create a forum for debate about the direction of classical music. The RPS is a registered UK charity no.213693.
The RPS is a thriving membership society with members all over the UK and abroad and is under the immediate patronage of Her Majesty the Queen.
The Gold Medal is the RPS's highest honour and was first awarded in 1870. The following members are current recipients:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau 1988
Janet Baker 1990
Bernard Haitink 1990
Alfred Brendel 1992
Colin Davis 1994
Elliott Carter 1995
Pierre Boulez 1997
Simon Rattle 1999
Placido Domingo 1999
Joan Sutherland 2002
Claudio Abbado 2003
Charles Mackerras 2005
Daniel Barenboim 2007
Henri Dutilleux 2008
Thomas Quasthoff 2009
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