| King's Medal for Music | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | "an outstanding individual or group of musicians who have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation." |
| Sponsored by | Privy Purse |
| Location | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Presented by | The British monarch |
| Reward(s) | The 75mm medal is designed by Bethan Williams and is cast in silver. |
| First awarded | 2005 |
The King's Medal for Music (or the Queen's Medal for Music during the reign of a queen) is an annual award, instituted in 2005, for contribution to the musical life of Great Britain. The Medal may be awarded to people of any nationality. The expenses of the award come from the Privy Purse.[1]
The idea for this award originated with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, then Master of the Queen's Music. A committee headed by the Master of the Queen's Music oversees the nomination process for the award. This committee discusses the nominees in an annual meeting, before it submits its recommendation for royal approval.[2] The first recipient was the Australian conductor Sir Charles Mackerras.[3]