The Royal Philharmonic Society has awarded British composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies its highest accolade: the Gold Medal.
'I am absolutely delighted and couldn’t be more honoured to receive the RPS Gold Medal,' says the composer and former Master of the Queen's Music. 'That’s the one I wanted!'
Sir Peter is only the 102nd musician to be awarded the prestigious medal since its foundation in 1870. Previous composers awarded the medal include greats of classical music such as Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Richard Strauss and Stravinsky. More recent recipients include Pierre Boulez, Henri Dutilleux and György Kurtág.
'Peter Maxwell Davies has redefined what it means to be a composer and inspired new generations of musicians,' said the Society.