The Elgar Society is the UK’s largest single composer society. It exists to promote the appreciation of the life and music of Edward Elgar, which it does through its network of UK and overseas branches. These branches hold regular meetings at which a wide variety of speakers and performers give talks, performances and lectures on a range of Elgar related topics.
The Society awards grants towards performances and recordings of Elgar’s music both here and overseas through its Elgar in Performance and Other Projects schemes and, through its association with ElgarWorks, supports the publication of a 44 volume uniform edition of the whole of Elgar’s output. Three times each year it publishes the Elgar Society News and the Journal containing scholarly work and the results of latest research.
Among its other activities the Society has two award schemes. The Elgar Society Medal is the highest honour awarded by the Society. It is awarded to those who have demonstrated continued commitment to the promotion of the life and works of Edward Elgar or the aims and objectives of The Elgar Society. Among its recipients are Dr Jerrold Northrop Moore (1992), Sakari Oramo (2008) and Vladimir Ashkenazy (2009). The Elgar Society Certificate of Merit recognises outstanding commitment to the promotion of the life and works of Edward Elgar or the aims and objectives of The Elgar Society. The award is available to those who have made a long term contribution, but may also be used to encourage younger performers.