Alumni news

New Year Honour for Professor Emma Redding

Posted 4 January 2022 No Comments

Trinity Laban’s Head of Dance Science receives MBE for services to dance

The New Year Honours List recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK and this year Trinity Laban staff have again been recognised for their dedication and talent.

Originally trained as a dancer, Professor Emma Redding wrote the world’s first master’s degree in Dance Science for Trinity Laban in 2001. She has since played a key role in developing dance science as a recognised field of study through her research and international teaching, establishing the conservatoire as a leader in dance science education, research and clinical services.

On receiving an MBE for services to dance, Redding comments –

“I am humbled and hugely grateful to receive an MBE Queen’s Honour for services to dance. Dance and performance science is now a viable and established area of research and study, a collaborative achievement that has involved many talented people. This award is in recognition of a shared and passionate effort by all the dedicated individuals who have contributed to the field.”

Redding teaches physiology and contemporary technique at Trinity Laban alongside her management and research work. She was one of the Principal Investigators of a Conservatoires UK large-scale musicians’ health study funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Co-Investigator of a creativity and imagery study, in collaboration with Plymouth University and Coventry University.

She is also a founding partner of the National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS) and a former President of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS).

Redding was conferred with the title of Professor in Performance Science at Trinity Laban in January 2017.

Also recognised this year was Trinity Laban Honorary Fellow Mark Pemberton, Director of the Association of British Orchestras.

A new chapter for Kerry Nicholls

Posted 20 December 2021 No Comments

TL alum becomes Associate Director, Artistic Development at English National Ballet

With 30 years’ experience in the sector, dance alum Kerry Nicholls is celebrated internationally for her agile leadership, influential coaching and exceptional contemporary dance teaching.

Since graduating from Trinity Laban in 1991 with a Certificate in Dance Theatre, Kerry has served as Co-Director of Creative Learning for Studio Wayne McGregor (2007 – 2011), the Artistic Advisor for English National Ballet School (2008 – 2015), Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Wales (2014-2018), and Interim Artistic Director for Scottish Dance Theatre (2019). Last year, Kerry was appointed Executive Artistic Lead for English National Ballet.

In 2012, she launched Kerry Nicholls Dance to run training, mentoring and professional development programmes within dance organisations and institutions world-wide. Two-years later she was awarded a Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship to embark on an extensive period of research in the USA, shadowing and assisting Liz Lerman and advancing her work in the Critical Response Process.

At the end of 2021, it was announced that Kerry would join English National Ballet in a full-time role as their Associate Director, Artistic Development.

On her appointment, she comments –

“I am looking forward to this exciting new chapter.”

Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, English National Ballet brings world class ballet to the widest possible audience through live performances, digital platforms and its distinguished orchestra. It is a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s.

To find out more about studying at Trinity Laban visit our Dance pages.

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Image credit: Foteini-Christofilopoulou

Alumni Roundup November 2021

Posted 8 December 2021 No Comments

A roundup of alumni news, success and creative endeavours.

Many of our alumni performed at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2021 (12-21 Nov), joining a city-wide showcase of talent from around the world.

Olie Brice and Tom Challenger, along with Will Glaser, headlined a performance Downstairs at The Vortex, while Damon Brown took to the stage at the MAP Café in Kentish Town in his first performance in England for two years, having spent much of the COVID-19 pandemic in Seoul.

Rebecca Nash played at the Spice of Life, performing with fellow alums Paul Michael and Matt Fisher. Leo Richardson and Deschanel Gordon were part of Quentin Collins’ Sextet at SpiceJazz Soho. Femi Koleoso performed in a retrospective on Tony Allen’s music at the Royal Festival Hall, and Xhosa Cole performed with Cecile McLorin Salvant at Cadogan Hall.

Nérija, a jazz septet featuring alumni Lizy Exell, Nubya Garcia, Cassie Kinoshi, Sheila Maurice-Grey, and Rosie Turton, opened for Charles Lloyd at the Barbican, in an concert that earned five stars from The Times. They, along with alumni Laura Jurd and Cherise Adams-Burnett, were among the wealth of multi-skilled female jazz musicians rocking the festival and smashing stereotypes.

Composer, saxophonist and bandleader Cassie also spoke to Red Bull about creating futuristic jazz music that tells stories of modern society and the experience of being a young Black woman in the UK.

This month, Afrobeat pioneer and activist Fela Kuti was honoured with a Blue Plaque, installed at his former west London home in Shepherd’s Bush where he lived while studying at Trintiy Laban. This follows last year’s installation of a temporary commemorative plaque at our Faculty of Music as part of the Black Plaque Project. Unveiled as part of the conservatoire’s Black Culture 365 programme, we’re proud that it is now a permanent fixture at our Greenwich campus.

November saw multiple award wins and nominations for our alumni, including Made Kuti who has been nominated along with his father Femi Kuti for the Best Global Music Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards, for their album Legacy +.

Daniel Casimir won Instrumentalist of the Year and Emma-Jean Thackray was named UK Jazz Act of The Year at the 2021 Jazz FM Awards.

Transitions alum Mirjam Gurtner won the June Johnson Newcomer prize at Schweizer Preis Darstellende Künste 2021.

Soprano Hilary Cronin was named the winner of the prestigious international Handel Singing Competition 2021, taking home both first prize and the audience prize. Second prize was awarded to fellow alum Bethany Horak-Hallet, and Felix Kemp also performed in the final.

Musical Director of the Bristol Choral Society Hilary Campbell received the Inspiration Award at this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society Awards, while The Hermes Experiment, founded by Héloïse Werner, won the Young Artist Award.

Baritone Michael Lafferty and collaborative pianist Ashley Beauchamp made it to the final of the renowned Kathleen Ferrier Awards.

Throughout November our dance alumni shared their expertise at Independent Dance, including morning classes with Carolyn Roy, Lizzy Le Quesne and Alexandra Baybutt and Monday Night Improv with Kate Brown.

James Pett performed in and Assistant Directed dance film A Space Left Blank, which was shown at three international festivals this autumn – Florence Dance on Screen Festival, Frame x Frame Film Festival in Houston, Texas, and Inspired Dance Festival in Sydney and Perth, Australia.

Also running through the month, alum Peter Edwards conducted Tomorrow’s Warriors ensemble Nu Civilisation Orchestra on their UK tour touring celebrating 50 years since the release of Marvin Gaye’s iconic album ‘What’s Going On’.

Running until December 11 at English National Opera, HMS Pinafore has been getting rave reviews and alum Jonathan Savournin is a stand out.

Coming up:

Alum Cecilia McDowall has been commissioned by King’s College, Cambridge to write this year’s carol for the annual Christmas Eve Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. She has chosen to set her piece to the traditional song “There is no rose”, which she hopes will bring “a moment of stillness” to the Christmas Eve service. The piece will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service on 24 December at 15:00.

Jazz-grime group Ezra Collective, featuring alumni Femi Koleoso, Joe Armon-Jones, and Dylan Jones, will be releasing a new album in the next month.

Season 2 of the Tight Lads podcast, created by alumni Chesney Fawkes Porter, Jordan Donnelly and Abi O’Neill, has begun. Their most recent episodes are a deep dive on the musical Heathers, and a discussion of how body confidence can change through the seasons.

Innovation Award Winner Premieres New Work

Posted 2 December 2021 No Comments

Alum Laura Engholm explores experiences of homelessness through ‘Stories of Belonging’

Danish dance artist and emerging choreographer Laura Engholm was a recipient of our TL Innovation Award in 2020 for her proposal to engage with those affected by homelessness and hidden homelessness through inclusive dance practice.

The TL Innovation Award is a unique competition for final-year undergraduates, offering winners a financial award and bespoke professional development support to establish themselves as artists within one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy.

Mentored by participatory dance artist and fellow alum Stella Howard, Laura used her Award to created dance company Engholm Danseteater, which places diversity and inclusion at the heart of its work.

The company is now set to premiere its first piece, Stories of Belonging, on 17 Dec 2021 at London’s October Gallery, in partnership with Arts and Homelessness International and St Mungo’s Recovery College.

The foundations of the project are in the creative writing from adults with lived experience of homelessness and not fitting in, who were invited to take part. Their stories appear in both direct and indirect ways as movement, music or words.

Choreographed by Laura, the final piece is a witty and thoughtful blend of contemporary dance, music, poetry and physical theatre, creating a living collage of stories about what it means to belong to a place, to a person, to a tribe, to yourself.

On the upcoming premiere, Laura comments –

“I am so proud and excited that this is finally a reality.”

To book your ticket, visit the event page.

Find out more about studying dance at Trinity Laban.

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Image credit: Becca Hunt

Carolina Cury wins Trinity Laban’s Digital Gold Medal 2021

Posted 22 October 2021 No Comments

The pianist and master’s student delighted with a programme of Bach to Björk

Each year, Trinity Laban’s prestigious Gold Medal competition showcases the diverse talent from across the conservatoire’s Faculty of Music.

Competing for the 2021 prize were Noelia Cotuna (harp), Hannah Crocker (soprano), Tara Cunningham (electric guitar), Carolina Cury (piano), Shaohui Hao (saxophone), Jan Margolius (composition) and May Tether (musical theatre).

Across three days, the seven students and recent alumni delighted digital audiences on TL platforms with creative and intimate pre-recorded performance films spanning classical and contemporary music, jazz and musical theatre.

To judge the competition, the conservatoire’s Director of Music Havilland Willshire was joined by Head of imagine at Intermusica Artists’ Management, Kate Caro, in a unique adjudication film where pianist Carolina Cury was announced as the 2021 winner.

Filmed at Megaron Athens Concert Hall, Carolina’s performance included ‘Prelude and Fugue in F# minor’ from J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier (Book 1), György Ligeti’s Étude No. 8 ‘Fèm’ and an improvisation on Björk ‘All is Full of Love’.

Explaining what made Carolina a worthy winner Kate Caro commented –

“Across the three pieces Carolina demonstrated what a versatile and confident artist she is; how much originality she has in her voice, in her musicianship. I was just blown away.”

Havilland Willshire added –

“I was intrigued by her playing, particularly the bravery to overthrow convention in her interpretation of Bach. Her personality came through strongly in everything she did.”

Carolina, who completed her master’s at Trinity Laban in 2020, is currently studying on the Artist Diploma.

She joins an illustrious list of recent Gold Medal winners, many of whom are already enjoying budding creative careers. These include 2019 winner Elena Abad, who played with the Parallax Orchestra on the album ‘Bring Me the Horizons’ which reached no.1 in the UK, and 2015 winner soprano Nardus Williams, who is currently performing as Anne Trulove in Stravinsky’s opera The Rake’s Progress with Glyndebourne Opera.

The annual Gold Medal Showcase celebrates outstanding young Trinity Laban musicians. Competitors are nominated by the Heads of each of Departments within Trinity Laban’s Faculty of Music for their exceptional musical flair and professionalism, and all receive a Trinity Laban Director’s Prize for Achievement in recognition of this.

Congratulations to all our finalists. You can watch all seven performances on TL YouTube.

To find out more about studying music at Trinity Laban, visit our study pages

Emily Jenkins holding National Lottery Award

Alum Wins National Lottery Award 2021

Posted 18 October 2021 No Comments

Emily Jenkins has won the Art, Film and Culture category for her work supporting women affected by cancer.

The National Lottery Awards celebrate the UK’s favourite national lottery funded projects. This year, TL graduate Emily Jenkins’ organisation Move Dance Feel has been selected as the winner from 1500 nominations.

Emily graduated from Trinity Laban in 2016 after studying a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Dance and an MA in Creative Practice. She founded community project Move Dance Feel in the same year to help women living with and beyond cancer. The organisation supports them to rediscover their bodies and find joy through free weekly dance sessions.

During the pandemic, the project saw a huge upsurge in engagement after developing ‘Move Dance Feel Online’, aided by National Lottery funding of £9880.

Emily comments –

“It feels very special to be recognised for a National Lottery Award, particularly as it was the participants themselves who nominated me. I started Move Dance Feel as a way to simply offer a creative means of support to women in need, and now after give years it has evolved into something quite extraordinary.

“Dance in this context gives rise to multiple benefits, and the community of women we dance with are wonderful. It’s a real pleasure to dance alongside them, as they navigate through the incredibly difficult challenges associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. I find myself in awe of their strength.

“Winning this award has given me further encouragement to keep pushing forward, with the aim of making dance available to all women affected by cancer, worldwide.”

Discover postgraduate dance at Trinity Laban.

John Ashton Thomas

Posted 12 October 2021 No Comments

Trinity Laban and Manners McDade announce with great sadness the news that our dear friend, colleague and Trinity Laban alum John Ashton Thomas died on Monday 4 October. John had been on the teaching staff for Trinity Laban since 1992 and was the longest serving member of the Composition Department.

Having orchestrated over 150 films, it is no exaggeration to say that he was one of Hollywood’s top orchestrators, working on films from the Marvel, Bourne, Hunger Games, Ice Age and Star Wars franchises to name but a few, and for many years, those lucky enough to attend the Oscars would hear John’s orchestrations as part of the ceremony. His commercial composition was equally extensive, writing a vast collection of library music and producing themes for numerous programmes and series.

A true polymath, John was also a fine jazz pianist and was equally adept in writing jazz and orchestral music. His concert works have been widely performed including Iona Elegy: The Four Roads for the BBC Concert Orchestra at the 2018 Proms. Originally a chorister himself, his Nunc Dimittis is one of many works in which he combined his mastery of jazz, classical and choral techniques and was recorded by Mark Lockheart and the boys of Temple Church Choir.

His teaching experience was extensive: in addition to his work at TL he taught in the Jazz Department of the RAM for 10 years. He was awarded an honorary ARAM in 2004 and an Honorary Fellowship at Trinity Laban in 2019 alongside film composer John Powell with Paul Mounsey, Gavin Greenaway and Emlyn Singleton, all five having studied together at Trinity College of Music in the 1980s.

He is irreplaceable and will be missed terribly by us all.

TL Alumni Soar in Handel Competition

Posted 7 October 2021 No Comments

Three vocal graduates are through to the final of major international singing event

Launched in 2002, the annual International Handel Singing Competition is an established fixture in the musical calendar, drawing competitors from all over the world. Past finalists have included countertenor Iestyn Davies MBE and soprano Lucy Crowe, who have both excelled in the opera world.

This year, Trinity Laban vocal alumni Hilary Cronin, Bethany Horak-Hallett and Felix Kemp have been chosen from over 150 applicants to compete for the coveted first prize of £5000.

Since completing her Postgraduate Diploma in 2015, experienced ensemble singer and sought-after soprano soloist Hilary has performed with English Touring Opera, Nevil Holt Opera and Grimebourne.

A year after graduating, mezzo Bethany made her debut at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 2019. She is currently an Orchestra Age of Enlightenment Rising Star and is set to tour with Holland Baroque as a featured soloist.

Praised by the Guardian for his “appealing baritone,” Felix completed his masters at Trinity Laban in 2015 before becoming a Britten-Pears Young Artist and working with Grange Festival Opera and Aldeburgh Festival.

The finalists will perform their final programmes at St George’s, Hanover Square on Wednesday 20 October with the London Handel Orchestra, led by renowned British conductor and harpsichordist Laurence Cummings.

The winner of the 2021 International Handel Singing Competition will enjoy several performance opportunities in the UK and abroad, including a prestigious recital with the City Music Society and featuring as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Huddersfield Choral Society under the direction of Jane Glover.

As finalists, Hilary, Bethan and Felix will also each have the chance to give individual recitals in the upcoming London Handel Festival 2021.

Learn more about our vocal department.

L-R: Rebecca Wickes, Luke Walsh, Hanna Qureshi, Luke Brandon

Musical Theatre Alumni Return to West End

Posted 23 September 2021 No Comments

Hannah Qureshi joins Olivier Award-winning Dear Evan Hansen while Tom Brandon, Luke Walsh and Rebecca Wickes delight at West End Live.

After nearly two years of theatres being dark, the West End is back, and our Musical Theatre alumni are once again gracing the boards.

The multi-award-winning Dear Evan Hansen is set to reopen at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on 26 October, with new addition Hannah Qureshi as part of the company covering the roles of Zoe Murphy and Alana Beck.

Hannah shared how “incredibly excited” she is to join the cast in an announcement on Twitter earlier this week.

Meanwhile, fellow Trinity Laban graduates Luke Walsh, Rebecca Wickes and Tom Brandon performed at West End Live on Saturday 18 September.

Rebecca is currently playing Veronic Sawyer in Heathers the Musical, and treated the crowd to a rendition of show-tune ‘Seventeen’:

Luke plays Drew in the UK touring production of upbeat musical Rock of Ages UK. The cast brought rock and roll to Trafalgar Square with a special performance of ‘Crazy’:

Tom is one of the nine all-male cast members of smash-hit Choir of Man, which will be opening at The Arts Theatre in London’s West End on 29 October.

Find out more about studying musical theatre at Trinity Laban.

Seated graduates in robes and mortar boards

July Alumni Roundup

Posted 29 July 2021 No Comments

A roundup of alumni news, projects and creations from July.

Classical pianist and Young Steinway Artist Haley Miles released her second album in July, dedicated to Chopin’s Nocturnes. Fellow alum Emma-Jean Thackray released her debut album Yellow, after being named ‘One to Watch’ in the Guardian and performing on BBC Radio 6 and Later…with Jools Holland.

DJMag explored the new experimental sounds born from the jazz tradition that are transforming the UK jazz scene. Artists they attributed to this experimental fusion include Moses Boyd, Emma-Jean Thackray, Nubya Garcia and Joe Armon-Jones.

Made Kuti also appeared in the media this month, speaking to Premium Times Nigeria about his musical family legacy, while Tara Lilly was included in Glamour Magazine’s list of female artists to listen to this summer, after she became the first in the UK to be signed by Motown Records UK and released new single ‘The Things You Do’.

More new work was shared when Maria Marchant completed her #7Notesin7Daysat7pm concert series with the world premiere of leading British composer Alan Bullard’s Shades of blue.

Gothic Opera’s multi-disciplinary interpretation of Bluebeard’s Castle featured Alexandra Long, Charlotte Osborn and Alice Usher in a performance at Porchester Hall. Fellow alum Phil Meadows also returned to the stage in July, with a performance at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.

Choreographer Elisabeth Schilling brought contemporary dance directly to the heart of the city of Echternach with the TRIOLOGUE project as part of her residence, DANCING THE CITY, while fellow dance alum Michael McEvoy created and performed SCULPT in collaboration with dancers Clara Kerr, Emily McDonagh and Rosie Mulli. The site-responsive work popped up in areas of architectural or environmental interest throughout Belfast and County Down. Meilir Osian also took inspiration from his environment in new piece Qwerin, influenced by the patterns of Welsh folk dance as well as Queer club culture.

Actress, dancer and writer Gabriela Flarys led a number of workshops investigating compositions between movement and voice, while fellow dance alum Takeshi Matsumoto created two dance activity videos for South East Dance, drawing on Japanese tradition. Composer Will Dutta also shared his knowledge in July, with his new research paper exploring the curating composer as a new role in 21st century music making.

TL Professor Byron Wallen explored how Louis Armstrong created such a connection with the people of Britain in a BBC Radio 4 programme, talking to alumni Mark Kavuma, Sheila Maurice-Grey and Jay Phelps.

The Parliamentary Jazz Awards saw a host of TL alumni nominated, with Will Cleasby, Deschanel Gordon and Steve Rubie among the names. Nubya Garcia won Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year, while Kokoroko won Jazz Ensemble of the Year. Nubya has also been nominated for a Mercury Prize.

Dance alum Emily Jenkins has been nominated in the Art, Film and Culture category of the National Lottery Award for her work with Move Dance Feel, supporting women affected by cancer.

Coming up:

Chineke! Orchestra will present the world premiere of Ayanna Witter-Johnson’s new work Blush in an Edinburgh International Festival concert on 17 August.

Keep up with TL Innovation Award winner ben leigh grosart who has started his project Root, journeying by bike from the northern most point to the southern most point of England, creating an album as he travels.

Millie Cranston and Jacob Fowler will feature in the live, one-night-only performance of Joey Contreras’ musical In Pieces at the Turbine Theatre on 22 August .

Massimo Monticelli in nude t-shirt under illuminated archway

Alum premieres work at Gender Bender International Festival

Posted 28 July 2021 No Comments

Dance artist, teacher and 2018 graduate Massimo Monticelli interrogates truth, gender and representation in new solo.

2018 graduate Massimo Monticelli has choreographed new contemporary dance solo Cassandra, or, the Truth in response to the current abundance of fake news and lack of faith in science.

In the work, Massimo performs as Cassandra, the cursed Trojan prophetess. By overlaying the male body on top of a female voice Massimo wants to encourage reflection on questions about gender and representation. Through the contrast he also explores how truth is told, listened to, accepted, or rejected.

The 35-minute work was developed by Massimo across a series of residencies earlier this year, with the help of fellow TL dance alumni Tommy Cattin and Giordana Patumi.

It has roots in Aeschylus’s Agamemnon and Christa Wolf’s work and features an original live score by Marco Pedrazzi, a young composer who was recently commissioned by the Venice Music Biennale.

Massimo will premiere Cassandra, or, the Truth on 13 September 2021 at Italy’s celebrated annual Gender Bender International Festival in Bologna.

The dance artist and creator comments –

“This is a wonderful opportunity as Gender Bender International Festival is one of the most important dance festivals in Italy.”

You can learn more about Dance at Trinity Laban on our study pages.