Classical Music industry recognised in New Year’s Honours List

The 2023 New Year’s Honours list aims to recognise exceptional public service by people across the UK. This year the list celebrates many music industry members and facilitators. We’ve included a round-up of these honours recipients below:

British saxophonist, composer, and broadcaster YolanDa Brown has been awarded an OBE for her services to music, music education and broadcasting. Brown founded the London Saxophone Festival and is an ambassador for BBC Music and the London Music Fund and a Yamaha Artist. She also sat on the advisory panel for the National Plan for Music Education Brown and is a national council member at Arts Council England. Brown was appointed chair of national charity Youth Music in 2018 and in 2022 she was appointed chair of the British Phonographic Industry.

Upon receiving her award, Brown said: ‘I am really honoured to receive this award. My career continues to be eclectic and doesn't fit in a box, so I am grateful to everyone who continues to walk with me as a musician, broadcaster or campaigner for children and their access to music education.’

Other high-profile members of the music industry recognised in the New year’s Honours list include BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor, who receives an MBE for his services to music and PPL CEO Peter Leathem, who received an OBE for services to the music industry. Royal Northern College of Music principal, Professor Linda Joyce Merrick, also received a CBE for her services to music in higher education.

Lord Neil Mendoza received a CBE for his services to arts and culture in the role of commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal. Since May 2020, Mendoza has advised the government on how the culture sector can best recover from the pandemic.

Bristol Music Trust chief executive, Louise Mitchell, has been awarded a CBE for her services to the arts in Bristol. Bristol Music Trust runs music hub Bristol Beacon, which offers support for emerging musicians and provides creative resources to over 30,000 young people annually, as well as presenting music of all genres at its home in Southmead.

Music teachers Richard Henry Hanley and Ann Pinhey received BEMs for services to education (Hanley) and for services to music, choirs and charity (Pinhey), while Patricia Kay Vella-Burrows, co-director of Music4Wellbeing, which delivers cultural activities to older people in Kent, received a BEM for services to wellbeing

Sky Arts director and head of entertainment at Sky, Philip Edgar-Jones, has been awarded an OBE for his services to the arts and television. Since joining Sky in 2012, Edgar-Jones has commissioned programmes including Wagner’s Ring Cycle from Bayreuth and developed partnerships with organisations including English National Opera, The Barbican and Sage Gateshead.

Also receiving an OBE is Arts Council England deputy CEO, Simon Mellor. Receiving his award for services to the Arts, Mellor is responsible for overseeing ACE’s 10-year strategy from 2020 to 2030 as well as participating in the council’s executive board and offering leadership on international strategy.

Richard Fox has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to policing and music for his work as musical director of the Metropolitan Police Choir, while Michael Gee received his BEM for his services to music as a classical guitar luthier.

Claire Whitaker was awarded a CBE for services to the arts and culture in Poole, Dorset for her work as a member of the Culture Recovery Board which offers Culture Recovery Fund grants through Arts Council England in response to the pandemic. Whitaker was also bid director for Southampton’s City of Culture bid for 2025.

Michael Norman Lloyd, chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent Classics Festival, which brings an annual programme of concerts to the Staffordshire city, has received an OBE for his services to classical music while Dr Mike Thomas has been made an MBE for services to the Welsh male voice choirs of the Pelenna Valley and the Cynon Valley.

Composer George Fenton has received a CBE for his services to music. Best known for his work writing music for TV dramas, feature films, and wildlife documentaries including Blue Planet. Having received five Academy Award nominations, several Ivor Novello awards, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy and BMI Awards, and a Classic BRIT, Fenton is also a fellow of the Ivors Academy.