Marios Papadopoulos, Music Director of Oxford Philomusica and new MBE, thanks all who have supported him over the years

February 2014 was a very special month — it was the month I went, with my wife and children, to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE for Services to Music in Oxford. It also marked several key milestones: 15 years since Oxford Philomusica gave its inaugural concert in the Sheldonian Theatre and 40 years since my debut as a pianist in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. It was also in February 2001 that a significant event turned around Oxford Philomusica’s fortunes.

As a young man, I rehearsed endlessly for my recital debut. It was a sad time as I had recently lost my beloved piano teacher, Ilona Kabos, with whom I’d studied since coming to London in 1967. I was fortunate, however, to have been given guidance by two towering figures in the musical world: Daniel Barenboim and Vladimir Ashkenazy. I remember going to Maestro Barenboim’s home in Hamp-stead twice and playing through my entire progr-amme to him. I also recall meeting there Jacqueline du Pré, who warmly welcomed me to their home and offered tea and cakes!

Ashkenazy has remained a mentor and I am for ever indebted to him. I visited him all these years ago to play the Liszt B minor Sonata and he spent at least half an hour explaining to me the importance of the work’s coda — the last page of the Sonata. We worked on phrasing, tonal colour and shape to ensure that I paced the last bars of the Sonata in such a way as to highlight the climaxes and allow the work to sink into oblivion. In The Times a few days later the reviewer extolled the virtues of my playing of this work, making particular mention of the coda of the Liszt which he thought particularly captivating.

Vladimir Ashkenazy has remained close to me ever since, and when we started the Oxford Philomusica I turned to him and asked if he would become our patron. He not only obliged, but offered to play a piano recital gratis in benefit of the orch-estra. In those early days the Philomusica was struggling financially and this was a tremendous opportunity.

Within days of announcing Ashkenazy’s piano recital at the New Theatre (Apollo then) tickets were sold out. As bad luck would have it, the Maestro injured himself play-ing football and called to cancel. This news was devast-ating — the prospect of having to refund all those who had bought tickets was enough to push the orchestra’s finances into turmoil. I thought long and hard, then wrote to Ashkenazy asking whether he might be well enough to play a Mozart Concerto instead — far less taxing than the hugely demanding recital programme planned — and conduct the Philomusica in a Tchaikovsky Symphony. As gracious as ever, he agreed. The orchestra was wheeled out and a memorable concert took place which changed its fortunes, and set the orchestra on course to the success it has achieved today.

So, when I received the great honour of an MBE, I reflected on and gave thanks to those who had suppor-ted me over the years, to the many musicians and also the members of the local community. I am particularly pleased that it is for ‘Services to Music in Oxford’, my adopted city. I have been given tremendous opportunit-ies and this award tells me that I have been able to give something back — that makes me very proud.