Guildhall alumni and staff recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020

Jennifer Pike (Violin 2009) was awarded an MBE for services to classical music. Jennifer became the youngest ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year at aged 12, and began studying at Guildhall aged 16. Since graduating, Jennifer has performing extensively as a soloist with major orchestras worldwide. Jennifer is also an ambassador for the Prince's Trust and Foundation for Children and the Arts, and patron of the Lord Mayor's City Music Foundation.

Jennifer says: “I’m very honoured to receive an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music. In these hard times I will continue to strive to #SaveTheArts in the UK as the healing power of music is needed now more than ever.”

Creator and Producer of MAMMA MIA! The Musical, Judy Craymer (Technical Theatre 1978), was awarded a CBE for services to film. Judy originated the idea of the musical in 1996, and has since produced 50 productions of MAMMA MIA! in 16 languages around the world. Judy also served as a producer on the MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE and its 2018 prequel MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again. In 2010, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation presented Judy with its Humanitarian Award for her commitment to raising breast cancer awareness and research funding around the globe with MAMMA MIA! and through the sale of the specially created Rock Chick Supremo T-shirts.

Opera singer Rebecca Evans (Soprano 1990) also received a CBE for services to the arts in Wales. Rebecca has performed many lead roles for top opera companies across Europe and America, and appears regularly in concert at festivals such as BBC Proms and performs with leading orchestras. Rebecca is a Trustee of the Colwinston Charitable Trust and patron of several charities, among them Shelter Cymru, Tŷ Hapus and Music in Hospitals Wales.

Guildhall School Alexander Technique professor Nelly Ben-Or has been made an MBE for services to holocaust education. The first pianist to qualify as a teacher of the Alexander Technique in 1963, she is internationally acknowledged as being the leading exponent of the application of the Alexander Technique to piano playing. Her English-language autobiography Ashes to Light: A Holocaust Childhood to a Life in Music was published in 2019, and she was made a Fellow of the Guildhall School in 2018.

Guildhall School Oboe professor Nicholas Daniel has been made an OBE for services to music. An internationally acclaimed soloist, Nicholas is a founding member of Britten Sinfonia and the orchestra’s principal oboe and has appeared as soloist on stage and in several of the orchestra’s award-winning recordings.

Nicholas says: “It’s a special privilege to receive this right now, as many frontline workers who have done and continue to do so much for us during these difficult times are being honoured. I feel proud to be in their company. Music is my life, and I intend to continue to further causes close to my heart, particularly in our campaign to get every child in Britain playing instruments singing in the Every Child A Musician campaign, also to help care for and support young musicians, especially young Black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians; and to continue to promote, support and celebrate Britain’s many great composers.”