Public voting opens for the RPS Inspiration Award: celebrating the UK’s amateur musicians
Amateur music groups unite and brighten communities nationwide. Today, the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) invites the public to show their support and cast a vote for one such group to win a prestigious award.
Annually, the RPS presents the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, recognising star musicians, ensembles, and ventures in classical music lifting hearts and minds across the nation. Among these, the RPS Inspiration Award is specially presented to non-professional ensembles, recognising local heroes who do so much year-round to bring people together through music. Singularly, its winner is chosen by public vote.
Voting is now open on the RPS website and closes at 11am on Monday 2 February 2026. The winner will be announced at the 2026 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on Thursday 12 March. Described by The Sunday Times as ‘the biggest night in UK classical music’, the RPS Awards is a unique occasion for music-lovers and music-makers to get together, where everyone who cares about classical music is valued, and tickets start from only £10.
This year, the RPS Inspiration Award is supported by music publisher Stainer & Bell, and the 2026 shortlist is:
· Bradford Accordion Band
Bradford Accordion Band (BAB) is an inclusive, dynamic community band in West Yorkshire. Established in 1997 by its director Anita Bašić, it’s now a vibrant, 38-piece ensemble that surprises audiences and challenges expectations. BAB’s mixed-ability membership ranges from just 7 to 90 years of age, representing a wealth of multi-cultural backgrounds and musical influences. Laughter, emotional connection, and audience interaction sit at the heart of their playing – from rehearsals to performances during this year’s Bradford City of Culture programme.
· Cantorion Llandrindod
Welsh choir Cantorion Llandrindod began as four friends gathering informally and has lasted more than 50 years as a mixed-ability, four-part, non-auditioned community choir based in Llandrindod Wells. Now directed by Hilary Cox, the 25-strong choir performs a range of sacred and secular music, from major choral works to madrigals. Members and audiences travel far to attend performances in this rural part of mid-Wales, where Cantorion Llandrindod’s adventurous programming has become a distinctive feature of its music-making, with a strong commitment to underrepresented composers, especially women, in Wales.
· Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society
A Scottish community orchestra celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025, Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society (KOS) has been inspiring musicians and making music in Fife since 1875. The 70-strong orchestra is a beacon for musicians of all stages and ages playing alongside each other, conducted by Music Director Graeme Wilson, in his 49th season. KOS plays an integral role in music-making in the community: supporting local charities and collaborating with other local music groups. This year, the orchestra’s Composition Projects in Fife secondary schools were extended to HM Prison Glenochil in conjunction with Fife College.
· Sean Chandler and Shepherd Brass Band
York’s Shepherd Brass Band was founded in 1903 and encompasses six bands with over 200 players, nurturing participation and excellence from grassroots to competitive playing. The Championship Band is widely recognised as one of the finest bands in the North East of England and the award-winning Youth Band comprising over 50 talented young musicians is renowned for its vibrant rehearsals and high standards. At its heart is principal cornet Sean Chandler, a Deaf musician who leads the ‘I Can Play with Brass Roots’ initiative in partnership with the National Centre for Early Music in York, which welcomes and supports d/Deaf children and their families to develop their skills on various brass instruments and play in a band environment.
See full biographies and quotes from each group’s members below.
RPS Chief Executive James Murphy says ‘Wherever you live in the UK, local people get together to make music, drawing the community to join in, and come and listen. Here, in divisive times, we see the very best of our nation, finding strength, joy and optimism in what unites us. Thousands of groups like this flourish nationwide and deserve recognition. An expert panel has joined us in selecting four groups especially representative of this spirit, and we invite the public to get involved and pick a winner who particularly inspires them.’
Recent recipients of the RPS Inspiration Award include Belfast’s Open Arts Community Choir in 2025, and previously Derwent Brass, Torbay Symphony Orchestra, and Hilary Campbell and Bristol Choral Society.
The Royal Philharmonic Society is one of the UK’s foremost music charities, supporting music and musicians, celebrating their rightful place at the heart of society.