Two awards for high-profile conductors have come in quick succession.

The first goes to Sir Antonio Pappano, music director of London’s Royal Opera House and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome. Pappano has been awarded the highest order in Italy - the knighthood of the Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana. Previous Italian knighthoods have been awarded to Plácido Domingo, Claudio Abbado and Daniel Barenboim. The award follows Pappano’s knighthood in the UK’s 2012 New Year’s Honours List.

It has also been announced that Jiří Bělohlávek, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, has been awarded an honorary CBE in recognition of his services to UK music as a non-British national. Principal guest conductor of the BBC SO from 1995-2000, Bělohlávek was named its chief conductor in February 2005. He will end his chief conductorship after the 2012 Proms season, when he takes up his new role as music director of the Czech Philharmonic.