Nicola Benedetti receives ISM Distinguished Musician Award

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has awarded violinist Nicola Benedetti its annual Distinguished Musician Award (DMA) in recognition of her outstanding contribution to musical life in the UK.

Founded in 1976, the award is made by the ISM governing body, the ISM Council made up of members from across the UK. Previous recipients include composer Errollyn Wallen CBE, mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly, conductor Sir David Willcocks, Australian conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, composer Sir Michael Tippett, cellist Jacqueline du Pré OBE and conductor Sir Charles Groves.

ISM president Vick Bain said: ‘Nicola is an extraordinary and inspirational musician who has helped attract a new audience to classical music and is a role model to so many aspiring musicians, particularly young women and girls.’ She added: We are grateful too for her leadership in and advocacy for music education.’

As well as touring internationally, Benedetti records exclusively for Decca (Universal Music). In 2014 she was the first solo British violinist since the 1990s to enter the Top 20 of the Official UK Album Chart. Benedetti became the youngest ever recipient of the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2017 and received a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours list.

As well as championing new music through multiple commissions, Benedetti also founded her education initiative, the Benedetti Foundation in 2019. The foundation has worked with over 29,000 learners and teachers from 103 countries with sessions both in-person and online. Benedetti was announced as the director designate of the Edinburgh International Festival in March this year and will be taking up the role in October.

On receiving the award, Benedetti said: ‘I’d like to wholeheartedly thank ISM for all the work it does on behalf of the classical music sector. It goes without saying that it has been a very challenging few years and they have fought tirelessly, particularly for freelancers who have had such a difficult time, and continue to fight for our sector to be heard and to help it to thrive.’

You can find out more about the ISM’s Distinguished Musician Award here.

You can find out more about Nicola Benedetti here.