and the winner is...

Valery Gergiev, Lichfield Festival's Patron, has just won the Conductor category of this year's Royal Philharmonic Society Awards. As the jury writes,

The award goes to a conductor of unique talent and personality. A mercurial figure on the international musical stage, he chooses to devote a significant amount of time to music making in the UK, particularly with the London Symphony Orchestra. Intensity and passion - and a high level of risk taking - are the hallmarks of his conducting, and he pursues a single-minded advocacy of composers in whom he believes. He is a conductor who makes things happen - an inspiration to players and audiences alike: Valery Gergiev.

patrons on rps shortlist

the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards shortlists were announced yesterday, and I was delighted to see that the Patrons of both the Lichfield Festival and the Abbotsholme Arts Society are amongst those listed. Valery Gerviev is shortlisted in the Conductor category and Steven Isserlis is shortlisted in the Instrumentalist category.
In the Concert Series and Festivals category in which we were shortlisted last year, only the East Neuk Festival is flying the flag for British festivals. Winners are announced on 12 May.