Imogen Cooper named recipient of The Queen’s Medal for Music
Cooper founded a charity aimed at supporting young musicians at the start of their careers.
Classical pianist Imogen Cooper will receive The Queen’s Medal for Music.
The medal, established in 2005, is awarded annually to an individual or group of musicians who had a major influence on the musical life of the nation.
Cooper said she was “humbled and honoured” to be receiving the medal for 2019 after the Queen approved the honour.
“I believe that the power of music is like no other within the arts – vitally necessary to calibrate, stimulate, move and nurture us in these turbulent times,” she said.
Cooper founded the Imogen Cooper Music Trust, a charity aimed at supporting young musicians at the start of their careers.
This year she took part in the first live classical music concerts to be broadcast since the beginning of lockdown when she performed to an empty auditorium which was livestreamed by BBC Radio 3.
Judith Weir, who chairs the committee which submits recommendations to the Queen, said: “A historically important British solo pianist, Imogen Cooper has devoted her extensive and ongoing performing career to her repertoire, richly upholding the values of classical music as an inspiration to listeners and colleagues worldwide.”
Jazz musician Gary Crosby received The Queen’s Medal for Music for 2018 last year.
