Guildhall alumni and staff recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021

Visiting Professor of Piano Imogen Cooper has been made a Dame for services to music. Imogen is regarded as one of the finest interpreters of Classical and Romantic repertoire and is internationally renowned for her virtuosity and lyricism.

As well as being a soloist who’s performed with the world’s greatest orchestras, Imogen is responsible for the Imogen Cooper Trust, a charity that nurtures and mentors young musicians at the beginnings of their careers.

The honour adds to her many awards and accolades, which include the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2019, Royal Philharmonic Society Performers Award in 2008, Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 and Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music in 1997.

Alumna and Saxophonist Jess Gillam (Saxophone 2020) has received an MBE for services to music. Following her performance at the Last Night of the Proms in 2018, Jess has grown her international career as well as presenting on TV and Radio. Jess became the youngest ever presenter for BBC Radio 3 and hosts her own award-winning weekly show and podcast, This Classical Life. She has also been a guest presenter for BBC Radio 2 and co-hosted a miniseries for BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. In 2019 Jess presented five BBC Proms live on television.

While in lockdown, Jess launched the Virtual Scratch Orchestra, inviting musicians of any standard to come together to play music virtually with her. Over 2,000 people from around 30 different countries took part across the two projects, aged 2-94, playing a range of instruments.

Alumnus and Guildhall Professor Dr Noël Harwood Tredinnick (Music 1970) has been awarded a BEM for services to Church Music and to Music Education. Noël is a British composer, organist, orchestrator and conductor.

He is notable for his many contributions to several hymnals, his regular appearances on the BBC's Songs of Praise, his weekly radio programme All Souls in Praise and daily radio programme All Souls In Praise Bitesize which broadcasts on Premier Christian Radio. Noël is also the founder and Emeritus Conductor of All Souls Orchestra, which performs annually at the Royal Albert Hall and throughout the UK.

Noël is currently Professor of Conducting, Orchestration and Academic Studies at Guildhall School and has recently been awarded the title of Emeritus Conductor of the All Souls Orchestra, in recognition of his pioneering legacy in directing Christian musical worship around the world. He continues to conduct the orchestra in tours of the UK and around the world, in partnership with his successor, Michael Andrews.