Where: Cheltenham, various venues

When: July 1-16, 2017

Cheltenham Music Festival has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award alongside some of the best-known names in classical music.

The annual RPS Music Awards, presented in association with BBC Radio 3, are the highest recognition for live classical music in the UK.

Awards in the 13 categories are decided by independent panels consisting of some of the music industry's most distinguished practitioners.

The awards honour musicians, composers, writers, broadcasters and inspirational arts organisations. The list of previous winners reads like a Who's Who of classical music.

Meurig Bowen, Cheltenham Music Festival's Director, said: "I'm delighted that the Music Festival has been shortlisted in the Festivals and Concert Series category.

"This is a very hotly-contested category every year, always featuring inspirational, world-leading organisations, so it's great to be shortlisted by a jury of distinguished peers."

Shortlisted alongside Cheltenham Music Festival is East Lothian's Lammermuir Festival, Welsh National Opera and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Announcing the shortlist RPS tweeted : "With 15 World Premieres & an immersive 18h celebration of Satie 2016's @cheltfestivals was unmissable."

Shortlisted in other RPS categories are two artists who appear in this year's Music Festival - Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, for Young Artist and Conductor, appearing with CBSO on Wednesday July 5 and young composer Mark Simpson, whose new work for the Gould Piano Trio features in the Pittville Pump Room on Thursday July 6.

RPS Music Award winners will be announced at a ceremony on May 9 at The Brewery in the City of London, hosted by Andrew McGregor and Sarah Walker from BBC Radio 3.

For this year's Cheltenham Music Festival line-up, visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/music 

Main image: McPherson Stevens