Professor Roy Howat has been awarded the prestigious rank of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier le l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), one of the highest cultural honours bestowed by the French Republic.

The award, made by decree on the proposal of the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Culture, recognises Professor Howat’s exceptional career and lifelong dedication to French music.

Reacting to the honour, Roy said: “It was a lovely surprise to receive this award for doing work I love doing anyway. French music research embraces a supportive international community of colleagues.

“I’m lucky to be part of it, and part of the ambience of RCS where colleagues and students enthusiastically interact in ways that keep musical research on its toes, or its fingertips.”

Professor Stephen Broad, Director of Research and Engagement at RCS, said: “Professor Howat is an outstanding performer and teacher, contributing with unfailing generosity to the research community at the Conservatoire.

“We are so proud to play a role in supporting his world-leading research.”

Roy, who joined RCS in 2013, has spent over four decades conducting world-class research, editing, performing, teaching, and promoting French music.

The nomination specifically pays tribute to his initiative in two important projects that have significantly contributed to understanding of French music.

One is the Œuvres complètes de Claude Debussy, a Paris-based critical edition of Debussy’s entire works, still in progress.

Roy has participated in this from its inception in 1982, editing most of Debussy’s solo piano music and some of his chamber music, in volumes published between 1985 and 2000.

Also mentioned is Roy’s 2009 book; The Art of French Piano Music: Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Chabrier (Yale University Press), which has become a reference point for pianists, musicologists and historians alike.

In addition to these, the decision to grant Roy’s award –  which the French Minister for Culture Rachida Dati described as reserved for those ‘who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the cultural spheres, or by their support for the distribution of knowledge and works that form the wealth of our cultural heritage’ – was underpinned by a plethora of his internationally renowned achievements relating to French music.

These include:

• Debussy in proportion (Cambridge University Press,), Roy’s1983 book which sparked international reconsideration of Debussy’s musical language and compositional techniques.
• Numerous international premières by Roy of hitherto unknown music by Debussy and others, coupled with wider performances and promotions of French music worldwide (with CD recordings of Debussy’s complete solo piano music, Chabrier piano music, and piano and chamber music and songs by Fauré and other French composers).
• Critical editions for Peters Edition (London), of major works by Fauré for piano and music (1996–2015), a first complete critical edition of all Fauré’s songs and Vocalises (2013–2024), co-edited with Emily Kilpatrick, and a critical edition of Fauré’s First Piano Quintet (2006) for Editions Hamelle (Paris).
• Over thirty chapters (in English or French) in a variety of books devoted to composers including Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Chabrier and André Caplet, plus dozens of scholarly or practical articles about these and other composers.
• A Dover critical edition of Emmanuel Chabrier’s piano music (1995).

Visit Professor Roy Howat’s Pure profile.