The George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music and Dance in America is the highest honor bestowed by the Peabody Institute. It has been presented annually since 1980, originally as the George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music in America. The name of the medal was updated in 2023 to be inclusive of more of the performing arts and to reflect the addition of a Dance degree in Conservatory.

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University has awarded the Peabody Medal to the following distinguished composers, performers, philanthropists, scholars, and business and civic leaders.

2024

Misty Copeland

Stevie Wonder

Headshot of Misty CopelandHeadshot of Stevie Wonder

2023

Terence Blanchard

Headshot of Terence Blanchard

2022

Herbie Hancock

Headshot of Herbie Hancock

2021

Renée Fleming

Renee Fleming

2020

Alex Ross

Alex Ross

2019

Tori Amos

Tori Amos playing piano

2018

Leon Fleisher

Leon Fleisher

2016

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma

2015

Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman

2014

Kim Kashkashian

Kim Kashkashian

2013

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger

2012

Roy Haynes

Benjamin H. Griswold, IV

   Roy HaynesBenjamin H. Griswold, IV

2011

Marni Nixon

Marni Nixon

2010

Libby Larsen

James Levine

Libby Larsen

2009

Michael M. Kaiser

Michael M. Kaiser

2008

Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson

2007

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones

2006

Gilbert Kalish

Gilbert Kalish

2005

George Crumb

George Crumb

2004

John Corigliano

John Corigliano

2003

Andre Previn

Andre Previn

2002

Richard Goode

Bobby McFerrin

  Richard Goode Bobby McFerrin

2001

Isaac Stern

Isaac Stern

2000

Philip Glass

1999

Eileen Farrell

Leonard Slatkin

1998

Anne Wiggins Brown

1997

Jacques T. Schlenger

Barry Tuckwell

1996

David Zinman

Wynton Marsalis

1995

Robert O. Pierce

Melvin A. Steinberg

Hugo Weisgall

1994

Jerome Hines

Mstislav Rostropovich

Billy Taylor

1993

Dominick Argento

1992

Josef Gingold

Charles Rosen

Randolph S. Rothschild

1991

Robert Mann

Ruth B. Rosenberg

Eileen Southern

1990

Steven Muller

Robert Shaw

André Watts

1989

Marilyn Horne

1988

Wilfred Bain

David Lloyd Kreeger

1987

Gian Carlo Menotti

Oscar Peterson

Nicolas Slonimsky

1986

Boris Goldovsky

1985

Sidney M. Friedberg

Joseph Meyerhoff

Julius Rudel

William Schuman

1984

Elliott Carter

Todd Duncan

William Schwann

1983

Milton Babbitt

Ella Fitzgerald

Paul Fromm

1982

Elliott W. Galkin

Benny Goodman

Gunther Schuller

Roger Stevens

1981

Peter Herman Adler

Marian Anderson

Carleton Sprague Smith

1980

Leonard Bernstein

Eubie Blake

John Brademas