1980		Gold Medal, Mérito en las Bellas Artes.
1981		Rodrigo Festival in Mexico.  World premiere of Como una fantasía, for cello, by Carlos Prieto in Mexico City on March 17.
1982		World premiere of Concierto como un divertimento, for cello and orchestra, by the Philharmonic Orchestra of London, conducted by Jesús López Cobos, with soloist Julian Lloyd Webber, in London on April 15.  National Music Prize.  Honorary Doctorate, University of Southern California.
1983		World premiere of Concierto para una fiesta, for guitar and orchestra by the Texas Little Symphony, conducted by John Giordano, with soloist Pepe Romero, in Texas on March 5.
1984		Auction in Paris, sponsored by UNESCO, of the manuscript of Fandango del ventorrillo (from Cuatro piezas para piano).  The manuscript was requested by Yehudi Menuhin "since you are internationally renowned in the world of music".
1985		Release of a TV documentary "Joaquín Rodrigo" in the series of "Great Musicians", directed by Agustín Navarro.
1986		Rodrigo Festival in London from March 3-15.  World premiere of Cántico de San Francisco de Asís, by the Bournemouth Sinfonietta & Choir and The Renaissance Choir, conducted by Raymond Calcraft, within the Festival, March 15.
1987		Gold Medal and  Member of Honor of the Valencia Generalitat.
1988		Honorary Doctorate, Polytechnical University of Valencia. Director of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Madrid.
1989		Gold Medal, University of Madrid. Honorary Doctorate , University of Alicante. Honorary Doctorate, University of Madrid. Gold Medal Mérito Artístico, from the City of Madrid. Honorary Board Member of the Sociedad General de Autores de España, SGAE.