Nicola Benedetti receives Award of Excellence at Dallas Symphony Women in Classical Music Symposium

Photo Credit: Dallas Symphony Orchestra / Sylvia Elzafon

Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) presents Award of Excellence to violinist Nicola Benedetti at its 5th Annual Women in Classical Music Symposium

Violin Teacher Rachel Cooper chosen by Nicola Benedetti for DSO’s Emerging Artist Award

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents its fifth annual Women in Classical Music Symposium from 12 – 15 November at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas.

The central presentation at each Women in Classical Music Symposium is the Award of Excellence. This is presented to a woman in the field who has paved the way for others and is investing in the future of the industry. This year’s awardee is violinist Nicola Benedetti.  GRAMMY® Award-winner, Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival and a fervent champion of contemporary music, Benedetti makes education a core part of her artistry and career. In 2019, she established The Benedetti Foundation which delivers transformative experiences through mass music events and unites those who believe music is integral to life’s education. Led by Nicola and a team of exceptional musicians and educators from across the world, the Foundation provides equal access to music participation and appreciation for all. In its first four years, The Benedetti Foundation has worked with over 65,000 participants of all ages and levels, instrumentalists and non-instrumentalists alike, across 105 countries.

As part of the symposium, the Award of Excellence honouree chooses a recipient for the Emerging Artist Award, which comes with a cash award. Nicola Benedetti has chosen Rachel Cooper, BA MSc. Cooper is a violin teacher dedicated to creating fun and meaningful ways to teach young people core technical and musical foundations. Since graduating with her Master's from the Royal College of Music in 2014, Rachel has built up a varied portfolio of teaching. Rachel is a trained Suzuki Violin teacher working as a Violin/Viola and Chamber Music Coach at Junior Guildhall, a violin teacher for London-based charity Music Masters and a violin tutor, mentor and teacher trainer for The Benedetti Foundation, Nicola Benedetti’s music education charity.

Nicola and Rachel were both presented their respective awards earlier today at the Symposium.

Nicola Benedetti commented, ‘I’m deeply honored to receive this Award of Excellence from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. I gave my debut with this fantastic group of musicians many years ago and have so many beautiful and dear memories. But I am particularly excited by the opportunity to select the recipient of the Emerging Artist Award. Since the start of my professional life, I have dedicated myself to education in music and have had the privilege of getting to know hundreds of fantastic, dedicated music teachers along the way.

I always remember the first time I saw Rachel teach. She has an uncompromising dedication to her craft, endless energy to problem solve for her students, and despite a relentless seriousness in expecting the best from young people, she manages to keep everyone uplifted, dedicated and in a spirit of belief and positivity.

Teaching is far more than a job for Rachel, and she is an inspiration to all of us. We have to uphold the value of great teachers and celebrate when they do great work. This is why I am so proud this award is going to be a shining beacon in the world of music education.’

DSO’s Women in Classical Music Symposium is the only formal gathering to discuss issues specific to women in the field of classical music. Since its launch in 2019, the symposium has featured panel discussions and presentations from leading women in the industry, including conductors, composers, performers, educators and administrators. These individuals have shared their experiences on a range of topics from gender bias and discrimination to the importance of representation and diversity in classical music. The symposium has encouraged authenticity, vulnerability and sharing which is widely adopted by the speakers and attendees.