National recognition for CBSO music director at classical music’s biggest awards

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s music director Kazuki Yamada (pictured) received the Conductor Award for his concerts at Symphony Hall during the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards.

The awards also praised Mr Yamada for setting a gold standard in his embrace of the community, delighting citizens in the Bullring shopping centre and on the city’s trams.

The event was held at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenters Jess Gillam and Tom McKinney with trophies presented by RPS Chair Angela Dixon.

During the ceremony, Paraorchestra, collective of disabled and non disabled musicians that pushes the boundaries of music were praised with the Ensemble award.  

Receiving this award, Jonathan Harper, chief executive of Paraorchestra said: “Winning the RPS Ensemble Award is a tremendous recognition of the extraordinary artistic achievements of Paraorchestra over the last year, in which we presented a boundary-breaking repertoire of orchestral music experiences that blend genres and artforms, to an exceptionally wide range of audiences.

“This award is a testament to Charles Hazlewood for his visionary artistic leadership, to the fabulous musicians, composers and creatives, and to our team of hardworking staff and freelancers.

“We're grateful to the RPS for their support of our unique work and acknowledgement of our achievements, and for the steadfast commitment of our partner venues and funders, including Arts Council England.”

Belfast’s Open Arts Community Choir and its music director Beverley McGeown received the Inspiration Award celebrating the UK’s non-professional ensembles, and the sole RPS Award voted for by the public.

The Chamber-Scale Composition Award was awarded to Welsh composer Sarah Lianne Lewis for letting the light in.

The power of music UK-wide was recognised, with winners from all four nations: in the face of stark funding cuts, Welsh National Opera received the Opera and Music Theatre Award for Britten’s Death in Venice, sensationally combining opera and acrobatics; composer Sir James MacMillan accepted the Series and Events Award for Scottish festival The Cumnock Tryst where local residents and international musicians share the stage to thrilling effect; Open Arts Community Choir were the first Northern Ireland ensemble to take home the Inspiration Award; and Streetwise Opera’s Re:Discover Festival received the Impact Award for their life-changing work in Nottingham, Manchester and London, empowering people who have lived with homelessness to build skills and self-worth through music-making.

Taking place for the first time in Birmingham, the RPS Awards presentation showcased local talent. The show opened with a performance of Alec Roth’s Sometime I Sing by Ex Cathedra Student Scholars and celebrated Birmingham conductor Jeffrey Skidmore. Birmingham music-makers were recognised with nominations for the Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra, the CBSO Chorus, Ex Cathedra’s Singing Medicine weekly brightening the prospects of patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Birmingham Opera Company’s landmark production of Michael Tippett’s New Year involving hundreds of citizens.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director Kazuki Yamada received the Conductor Award, for his must-see concerts at  Symphony Hall, and setting a gold standard in his embrace of the community, delighting citizens in the Bullring shopping centre and on the city’s trams.

The Instrumentalist Award was presented to cellist Laura van der Heijden and the Singer Award to soprano Claire Booth, both of whom have performed extensively across the UK.

Composer Katherine Balch’s whisper concerto, premiered by BBC Philharmonic, received the Large-Scale Composition Award.

BBC Radio 3’s Classical Africa received the Storytelling Award in which double-bassist Leon Bosch presents a complex and captivating tapestry of sounds and ideas from a continent whose music is too often overlooked.

The Young Artist Award was presented to the GBSR Duo: percussionist George Barton and pianist Siwan Rhys whose commitment to new music is inspirational and so worth following.