Recent alumni successes at Guildhall School (May 2026)

Hayley Atwell

We’re proud to share the latest news from Guildhall School’s alumni community.

Music 

  • We’d like to congratulate the Fibonacci Quartet, which formed at Guildhall School and features alumni Luna De Mol (Violin 2023), Kryštof Kohout (Violin 2022) and Elliot Kempton (Viola 2024) on receiving the 2026 Merito Award, accompanied by a €60,000 prize, for their contribution to European music. 
  • Nicky Spence OBE FGS (Tenor 2005) will perform at the Last Night of the Proms 2026, closing out a season which is set to feature a host of fellow Guildhall alumni and staff. Read our recent article about the School’s representatives in this year’s BBC Proms here. 
  • Guildhall School was well represented at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards 2026, with Hector Bloggs (Baritone 2023) winning First Prize. The final also featured fellow alumni Rachel Roper (Mezzo-soprano 2021), George Reynolds (Baritone 2020) and Bethany Reeves (Piano 2022), with Lowri Probert (Soprano 2024) and Alexandra Achillea (Mezzo-Soprano 2021) also reaching the semi-finals.  
  • Ben Woodward (Repetiteur 2011) has won the Sir Reginald Goodall Award 2026, presented by the Wagner Society, recognising in particular his arrangement of the Ring cycle for Regents Opera in 2025 at York Hall in Bethnal Green.  
  • Theano Papadaki (Soprano 2022) won an Off West End Award for Best Performance for L’Incoronazione di Poppea at Jacksons Lane. 
  • Emma Rawicz (Junior Guildhall) won UK Jazz Act of the Year at the Jazz FM Awards, where Theon Cross (Tuba 2014) and Shabaka Hutchings (Clarinet 2007) were nominated for the Innovation Award and the Instrumentalist of the Year Award, respectively. 
  • Matilda Lloyd (Junior Guildhall 2014) won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artist Award at a ceremony in March at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. 
  • Will Newell (Violin 2015) and Stephen Upshaw (Viola 2011) performed with the Solem Quartet at Kings Place 14 March in a concert celebrating Steve Reich’s 90th birthday. The programme included Reich’s iconic work for quartet and pre-recorded quartet montage Different Trains, as well as Will’s reworkings of Kate Bush.  
  • Joanna Twaddle (Cello 2019) has joined the cello section of the London Symphony Orchestra. Read more here. 
  • William Clark-Maxwell (Cello 2021) has been appointed Principal Cello of Scottish Opera. 

  • MinJung Baek (Piano 2012) returned as Director of the third Cambridge International Piano Festival in April, where our current students swept the top three prizes. 

  • Dave Flynn (Composition 2004) has launched a new podcast Degrees of Separation, in which he explores the musical threads of his compositions. Listen to the first episode here. 
  • Tara Minton (Singing 2019) has signed with New York based Adhyâropa Records and will release The Devil Invites You To Dance in September this year. You can hear the album live at one of Tara’s upcoming shows in the UK across May and June. 
  • Thomas Mole (Baritone 2019) featured in The Telegraph’s April list for ‘The 10 most exciting young musicians in the world – playing near you.’ 
  • Christopher Ward (Repetiteur 2003) has been appointed Music Director of the Longborough Festival Opera from 2027. 
  • Eve Quigley (Viola 2025) is performing on trial with the BBC Philharmonic. 
  • Élisabeth Pion (Piano 2022) was featured by Musical America as their New Artist of the Month for May 2026. Read more here. 
  • Bethany Caswell (Harp 2025) won the first prize in the UK Harp Competition 2026. 

Acting 

  • Paapa Essiedu FGS (Acting 2012) won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre, which also received Best Revival. Paapa will feature alongside Noah Marullo (Acting 2021) in the BBC’s new drama series Babies. Read an interview with Noah in Tresa Magazine about his experience on Babies, his wider theatre work, and his time studying at Guildhall School.  
  • Daniel Adeosun (Acting 2020), Imogen Elliott (Acting 2024), Kitty Hawthorne (Acting 2021) and Nia Towle (Acting 2021) have been nominated for the Ian Charleson Award, which recognises outstanding performances by actors under 30 in classical roles. 
  • Jodie Whittaker (Acting 2005) and Ellis Howard (Acting 2018) both received nominations for a BAFTA TV Award for Toxic Town and What it Feels Like for a Girl, respectively. 
  • David Shields (Acting 2019) was nominated for Best Actor at the London Standard Theatre Awards. 
  • Sophie Cox (Acting 2024), Gareth Kennerley (Acting 2005), Victoria Moseley (Acting 2000) and Romaya Weaver (Acting 2024) star in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe, running until late August. 

  • Featuring in Much Ado About Nothing, also at the Globe, from June to October, are Fia Hadeed (Acting 2025), Kaffe Keating (Acting 2014), Os Leanse (Acting 2022) and Joseph Potter (Acting 2019). 

  • Andy Nyman (Acting 1987) was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for The Producers, as well as a London Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical Performance. 

  • Hayley Atwell FGS (Acting 2005) won the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Shakespearean Performance, and Best Actress at the London Standard Theatre Awards, for Much Ado About Nothing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. 
  • Kate Phillips (Acting 2014) was nominated for The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. 
  • Ben Schnetzer (Acting 2013) stars in the new series The Madison. Watch a video interview with Ben here. 
  • Emma Rice FGS (Acting 1988) was featured in the Stage 100 theatre power list for 2026 for her influential work in theatre. 
  • Assata Taught Me, written and directed by Kalungi Ssebandeke (Acting 2019), is showing at Riverside Studios 12-24 May.  

Production Arts 

  • Neil Austin FGS (Production Arts 1992) was nominated for the White Light Best Lighting Design Award at the What’s on Stage Awards for Born with Teeth and Paddington the Musical. 
  • Judy Craymer CBE FGS (Technical Theatre 1978) has been included in the Stage 100 theatre power list for 2026, honoured for her global achievement in cinema, theatre and music.  
  • Kash Bennett FGS (Production Arts 1990), executive director at Sonia Friedman, had Paddington the Musical win Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards. Paddington also won Best New Musical at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, while Stereophonic was nominated for Best New Play at the What’s on Stage Awards, alongside The Importance of Being Earnest for Best Play Revival.