Chris Stock presented with 2022 RPS ABO Orchestra Musician Award
19 December 2022
Chris Stock, School of Music percussion tutor and Principal Percussionist of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, has been awarded the RPS ABO Orchestra Musician Award for 2022.
Since 2012, the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) and Association of British Orchestras (ABO) have come together to present an award in recognition of the extraordinary orchestral musicians working in Britain. Annually, orchestras may nominate one of their musicians for an expert panel to consider.
The Award was presented to Chris by RPS Chief Executive James Murphy, who said: “Chris has been a star player and stalwart presence in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for some decades. He’s a cherished section leader and he’s devoted to community and to education, lending his time and skills and enthusiasm to inspire others.
“And not just here in Wales. In 2015, the orchestra toured to South America and, as part of this, met and engaged hundreds of Patagonian children in musical workshops. Seeing how enlivened they were by just a suitcase of percussionist instruments brought from Wales, Chris and his fellow players set themselves a bold ambition: to do everything they could to find and collect unused instruments back home and get them into the hands of South American children. The Patagonia Instrument Project was born, and to date has sent over £60,000 worth of musical instruments to the region.
“This whole endeavour is such a powerful illustration of the great things that can happen when the UK exports its cultural treasures – like this orchestra – worldwide, and above all, what a remarkable force for good orchestral musicians are in our lives.”
Of being presented with the award, Chris said: “This is the only award for a musician working in orchestras across the UK, and it reflects the work they have carried out within a certain year, beyond the normal requirements of their jobs. On this basis I feel deeply honoured by both the RPS and the ABO for their recognition of the work carried out by the charity I formed, after the Patagonia 150 tour of South America by BBC NOW in 2015, to support schools and music youth groups in the Chubut region of Patagonia. It is run independently of the BBC.
“My award is particularly linked to our work throughout 2021, but especially for the donations and involvement in co-ordinating a rapid response both from Wales and with the other groups we support in Chubut, after the devastating forest fires in the town of El Hoyo, Chubut, which resulted in a large proportion of the instruments owned by the children's orchestra in the town, being destroyed. Swift actions resulted in firm promises of finance and replacement instruments within 3 weeks.
“For me personally, the award means a great opportunity to spread the word about our work at Patagonia Instrument Project, which we hope will result in more donations and support from across Wales and throughout the UK.”