Mariss Jansons has been awarded a Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Gold Medal. The Latvian conductor will receive the medal at a ceremony in London on 24 November.
Jansons is one of the most acclaimed conductors of recent times, and has led several of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. He is currently chief conductor at Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, while past roles include a stint as chief conductor at Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (2004-2015), six years as principal guest conductor of London Philharmonic Orchestra (1992-1997) and time spent as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1997-2004).
However, Jansons has also courted controversy, hitting headlines this week for stating that women conductors are not his “cup of tea”.
In its citation, RPS said that: “His conducting is a powerful combination of discipline and inspiration and his revelatory performances are innately truthful to the nuances of the score while filled with new discoveries and glimpses into the very heart of the music.
“Nurturing young players has a special significance to Mariss Jansons and he continues to work with and inspire the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Academy of the BRSO and a number of Bavarian Youth Orchestras.”
Past Gold Medal recipients include Georg Solti, Leonard Bernstein, Claudio Abbado and, most recently, Charles Dutoit and Peter Maxwell Davies.