Norma Winstone Receives Trinity Laban Honorary Fellowship

Renowned jazz vocalist Norma Winstone MBE has received an Honorary Fellowship from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in recognition of her distinguished career and invaluable contribution towards the development of British jazz.  Norma is a former pupil of Junior Trinity - Trinity Laban's Saturday school for 3-19 year olds.

The award was presented at a concert on 18 November at Blackheath Halls featuring a Trinity Laban jazz choir and band and two local community choirs directed by esteemed jazz musician Pete Churchill as part of the London Jazz Festival in association with BBC Radio 3.

As an artist of immense international repute, Norma was an ideal candidate for an Honorary Fellowship and this announcement will undoubtedly prove popular with the UK jazz community. The award represents the Institution's recognition of the importance of jazz in its curriculum and Norma's indisputable contribution to the sound of British jazz.

Norma was involved in the avant garde jazz movement in the 1970s and quickly became renowned for her experimental vocal improvisations. She has featured in groups led by Mike Westbrook, Michael Garrick, John Surman and Kenny Wheeler. Her career highlights include a nomination at the BBC Jazz Awards for Best Vocalist in 2007 and 2008, and achieving the Jazz Ahead Award in Bremen for her contributions towards European jazz in 2009. She also appeared in BBC2's Jazz Britannia as one of Giles Peterson's influential British jazz musicians and her recent album Distances was nominated for a Grammy.

Chairman of the Trinity Laban Board of Governors Sir Robert Scott who was present at the ceremony says: "Norma has played a hugely influential role in the development of jazz, both nationally and internationally. It is a joy to hear her singing alongside our talented students and we wish to reward her invaluable support by welcoming her as an Honorary Fellow."

Tagged: performance, student recruitment

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