Organist Thomas Trotter has been awarded Her Majesty's Medal for Music 2020. He follows in the footsteps of previous winners including conductor Charles Mackerras, oboist Nicholas Daniel, choirmaster Simon Halsey, composers Oliver Knussen and Thea Musgrave, and, most recently, pianist Imogen Cooper.
This is the 15th year the Queen's Medal has been awarded, having been launched in 2005 at the suggestion of the then Master of the Queen's Music, Peter Maxwell Davies.
Trotter is an internationally touring recital organist, recently performing at the Royal Albert Hall for the venue's first socially distanced concert since the UK lockdown in March. He has been the Birmingham City Organist since 1983 and is a visiting fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music.
'I am deeply honoured to be awarded The Queen's Medal for Music for 2020,' says Trotter. 'To have my work recognised in this way is totally unexpected and highly gratifying, and it is a privilege to join the list of distinguished recipients of this award.'
The nomination process for the Queen's Medal is overseen by a committee chaired by Judith Weir, the current Master of the Queen's Music. 'Thomas Trotter's series of regular recitals over four decades as Birmingham City Organist is an inspiring example of civic engagement for all performing musicians,' she says.
