Beverley Knight and Jamie Cullum Awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music

The Royal Academy of Music has announced the list of musicians and educators on whom honours will be conferred at its 2023 Graduation Ceremony.

Recent Olivier award-winner Beverley Knight and jazz musician Jamie Cullum will be awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music.

Conductor and Music Director Designate of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša, violinist Hilary Hahn, pianist Maria João Pires and the Academy's Head of Vocal Studies Kate Paterson have also been elected Honorary Members.

Legendary composer and Visiting Professor of Composition James Newton Howard will receive an Honorary Degree (Hon DMus). James is one of the most versatile composers in the industry, who has over 100 film and TV credits. With a career spanning over 30 years, he is a nine-time Oscar nominee, and Emmy and Grammy winner. His film scores include Pretty Woman, The Fugitive, Space Jam, Peter Pan, King Kong, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Dark Knight which he composed with Hans Zimmer.

Musicians to be recognised as Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music, an honour reserved for Academy alumni, are pioneering singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, and prominent opera singers David Butt Philip and Freddie De Tommaso. Musician, music educator and academic Professor Susan Hallam, collaborative pianist Simon Lepper and conductor Jonathon Heyward, who was recently appointed Music Director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, complete the list of alumni being celebrated this year.

Her Grace The Duchess of Wellington, Chairman of the Bicentenary Development Board, and Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts Roger Wright will become Honorary Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music.

The Academy's Principal, Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE, said: 'As we look ahead to our third century, I'm delighted to celebrate this outstanding list of honorands who are shaping the future of music. They represent a breadth of musical genres and areas of the profession in which we are very proud to see Academy students excel across the globe.'

The Academy has also announced its list of associate honours which will be conferred in May. The full list of ARAMs can be found here.

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