The President of The Birmingham & Midland Institute, Professor Sir David Cannadine, awards the first President’s Medal to Stephen Maddock OBE, former Chief Executive of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
The Birmingham & Midland Institute was founded in 1854 for the Diffusion and Advancement of Science, Literature and the Arts for all classes of people in the Midland counties. The University of Aston and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire can trace their roots back to the Institute.
Professor Sir David Cannadine is the 168th President of the Institute, and the latest in a long line of illustrious Presidents, including Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Sullivan.
In 2022 the Board of Governors resolved to establish its President’s Medal, to be awarded annually to those who have promoted the Diffusion and Advancement of Science, Literature and the Arts. The award seeks to recognise achievement in one particular field, or across all disciplines. Recipients of the Medal may be anyone who is based in the Midland counties who has done or achieved something suitably meritorious, either recently or over a longer period, which the Institute sees fit to recognise and reward.
The medal has been designed and made in Birmingham by Thomas Fattorini Ltd, based in the Jewellery Quarter and is 100 mm in diameter.
Professor Sir David Cannadine, has selected Stephen Maddock OBE to be the recipient of the first President’s Medal due to his many years service at the internationally renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Sir David said: “For almost a quarter of a century, Stephen Maddock has played an outstanding part in the cultural and civic life of Birmingham and the West Midlands, primarily — but not exclusively — as the long serving Chief Executive of the CBSO and now as the Principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. I am delighted that he will be the recipient of the first BMI President’s Medal, and offer my very warmest congratulations.”
Stephen Maddock said: “I am truly honoured to have been awarded the first President’s Medal from the BMI. Like the BMI itself, the CBSO is dedicated to enhancing public interest, understanding and enjoyment of the arts, and during my nearly 24 years there I was very conscious of the high expectations Birmingham has of its key cultural institutions. Having recently moved sideways to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, I remain as committed as ever to those core values, and look forward to finding new ways in which we can enrich the musical life of Birmingham and the Midlands.”
President’s Address
Sir David is giving his annual President’s Address on Saturday 22nd July, at 3.00 pm. entitled:
The British Monarchy: Then and Now
For many of us, Queen Elizabeth II had become, as Lytton Strachey observed of Queen Victoria, ‘part of the indissoluble order of things’, as we had never known a time when she was not on the throne. How does her record-breaking reign now look in historical perspective? And what are the challenges facing King Charles III? Sir David will discuss.
Afterwards, Sir David will present his President’s Medal to Stephen Maddock OBE.
Fellowship of the Institute (FBMI)
Following the presentation of the President’s Medal, Sir David will also be conferring Fellowships on Dr Pamela Mason and her late husband, Mr Keith Parsons.
Fellowships are granted to those associated with the Institute in some way and who have made a substantial, significant and sustained contribution to the life and development of the Institute. Dr Mason and Mr Parsons have delivered Shakespeare study days at the Institute for over 20 years.
Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters of FBMI and are admitted to honorary membership of the Institute for life.
