ISM Honours Sir Charles Mackerras

The eminent conductor Sir Charles Mackerras CBE has been honoured with the Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Distinguished Musician Award for 2002.

The ISM Council makes the Award to acknowledge a colleague’s outstanding contribution to British musical life. Previous recipients include Sir Alexander Gibson, Sir William Walton, Sir Peter Pears, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Michael Tippett, Sir Reginald Goodall, Sir Charles Groves, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Colin Davis, Witold Lutoslawski, James Galway, Norman Del Mar, Julian Bream, George Malcolm, Christopher Hogwood, Sir David Willcocks, Fanny Waterman and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Sir Charles was nominated for the Award by Professor John Morehen, the ISM’s President Elect. The citation read as follows:

‘Any citation of a career that is so long, so varied and so distinguished must inevitably be highly selective. Three areas of particular distinction should perhaps be cited.

‘First, his research into performance practice of the 18th and 19th centuries. The impact of this research, seen also in his performances of music by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms, is perhaps most evident in his interpretations of Handel, and is highlighted in his landmark 1959 recording of the Music for the Royal Fireworks in its original wind band instrumentation, in his commercial recordings for DG, and in the 1982 Covent Garden production of Semele (repeated with San Francisco Opera in 2000).

‘Secondly, his performances of Czech music generally, in particular his single-handed pioneering of the operas of Janácek, notably in performances with Welsh National Opera and Sadler’s Wells (and in recordings for Decca, Supraphon and Chandos).

‘Thirdly, his lifelong championship of the music of Sir Arthur Sullivan through countless performances, recordings and broadcasts, through his long association with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, and through his Presidency of the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society of Great Britain.

‘Sir Charles’s long-standing membership of the ISM, and the celebration in November 2002 of his 77th birthday, are further factors which would make it fitting for the Society to recognise his outstanding contribution to British musical life with its Distinguished Musician Award.’

Sir Charles himself said:

Ends 03/2003

Note to Editors: The ISM, founded in 1882, is the UK’s professional body for all musicians. It promotes the art of music and upholds the honour and interests of the musical profession by protecting the interests of musicians, raising professional standards, and providing legal advice and other benefits to its 5,000 members, who include performers, teachers, composers, conductors, organists, writers and others involved in professional musical work. The ISM established its Distinguished Musician Award in 1976. The Award is a silver medallion, bearing the ISM logo and engraved on the reverse with the recipient's name.

Contact: Neil Hoyle, tel: 020 7629 4413