Errollyn Wallen will receive Academy Fellowship, the highest honour we bestow, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to contemporary classical music with a catalogue of 22 operas and a range of orchestral, chamber and vocal compositions. She will be inducted into Fellowship at The Ivors Classical Awards on 12th November at BFI Southbank in London. Book your tickets.
Wallen became the first woman to receive an Ivor Novello award for Classical Music in 2013 at the Academy’s songwriting and screen composing ceremony, The Ivors, and received a British Composer Award from the Academy in 2005.
In 2023 she was ranked among the Top 20 most performed living classical composers. She was the first Black woman to have a work featured in the Proms and her music has been used at national occasions including the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2021 and Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees.
In August this year, Wallen became Master of The King’s Music, an honorary appointment made by the Sovereign. The appointment is conferred on a musician of distinction who has added to the musical life of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
As a broadcaster, she has worked on several documentary programmes including Classical Commonwealth for BBC Radio 3 which explored the impact of colonialism on music across the Commonwealth. Her book Becoming a Composer was published in November 2023.
Errollyn Wallen CBE stated: “I am deeply touched to receive this Academy Fellowship and am most honoured to join the twenty-seven illustrious musicians who are my predecessors. I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks for the guidance and encouragement I have received along my journey to becoming a composer — and for the lively artistic community of which I am part.”
Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy said “It is a privilege to announce Errollyn Wallen as the 28th Fellow of The Ivors Academy. Her exceptional body of work, groundbreaking achievements and unwavering commitment to the craft of composition set her apart as one of the most inspiring figures in contemporary classical music. I look forward to celebrating with Errollyn and her peers at The Ivors Classical Awards on 12th November.”
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy said “By bestowing Errollyn with The Ivors Academy’s highest honour, we not only celebrate her remarkable talent but also reaffirm our mission to protect, empower and champion composers and songwriters. It is fitting that she joins the extraordinary roll call of Fellows from across music who have left an indelible mark on both culture and our lives.”
Fellowship of The Ivors Academy recognises the highest level of excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation. Since 2000, 28 composers and songwriters have been inducted into Fellowship, including Errollyn Wallen. The Academy has previously presented Fellowship to distinguished individuals including John Adams, Joan Armatrading, David Arnold, Malcolm Arnold, John Barry, Don Black, Pierre Boulez, Kate Bush, John Dankworth, Peter Maxwell Davies, George Fenton, David Ferguson, Peter Gabriel, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, Elton John, Julian Joseph, Annie Lennox, Andrew Lloyd Webber, James MacMillan, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tim Rice, John Rutter, Judith Weir and Sting.
The Ivors Classical Awards are supported by PRS for Music and will take place on Tuesday 12th November at the BFI Southbank in London. BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the ceremony on Saturday 16 November in a special edition of the New Music Show and the episode will also be available on BBC Sounds.
