Guildhall School alumni recognised in the New Year Honours List 2026

Alice Coote CBE (Vocal 1989)

Internationally renowned mezzo soprano Alice Coote was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Alice's career has seen her perform major operatic roles with the Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, Royal Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra de Paris, Wiener Staatsoper, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Salzburg Festival. She has also appeared on the concert stage with the London Symphony, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Hallé and Concertgebouw orchestras. She was previously awarded an OBE in 2018, for services to the arts.

 

Richard Farnes CBE (Conducting 1987)

Celebrated conductor Richard Farnes was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music. Richard was Music Director of Opera North from 2004-2016, during which time he led the company's critically acclaimed semi-staged cycle of Wagner's Ring. He has also appeared with The Royal Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, Scottish Opera, Royal Danish Opera and English National Opera, and conducted orchestras across the globe, including the London Symphony Orchestra, all of the BBC orchestras and the Symphony Orchestra of India. 

 

Congratulations also to friends and supporters of the School recognised this year, as well as colleagues from our founder, the City of London Corporation. These include: Nadia Fall (Artistic Director, Young Vic) who was appointed OBE for services to theatre, Emma D’Souza (Executive Director of Audience and Commercial, SOLT & UK Theatre) and Jon Gilchrist (Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Birmingham Hippodrome) who were both appointed MBE for services to theatre, Janet Fischer (Chief Executive, Live Music Now) who was appointed MBE for services to music and to charity,  Dame Carol Colburn Grigor (Founder and Director of Dunard Fund UK) who was appointed DBE for services to the Arts, Culture and Women in the UK, Dr Giles Shilson (former Chair, City Bridge Foundation) who was appointed OBE for services to outreach and inclusion and to charity, and Peter Dunphy (Chair of the City Corporation’s Port Health and Environmental Services Committee) who was appointed MBE for services to amenity conservation and to volunteering.