TRINITY LABAN CONSERVATOIRE /OF MUSIC & DANCE ENCAlumni newsletter Winter 2018 ORE TRINITY LABAN IN NEW YORK In November last year we hosted a wonderful reception in New York City for alumni and other friends of Trinity Laban. We were joined by many alumni, some of whom hadn’t seen each other for many years and others who had travelled to New York from other states. It was really fantastic to hear about all the different things everyone has been doing since they graduated. We were also very privileged to have alumnus Sir Matthew Bourne as guest of honour. Sir Matthew was in New York with his company New Adventures who were performing their latest work The Red Shoes at the New York City Centre. In his speech, he spoke of his time studying at the former Laban Centre, saying: “The experience I had touring with Transitions Dance Company led directly to me setting up my own company. I never would have dreamed the career I have today was possible – and it’s thanks to my experience and training at what’s now Trinity Laban.” photos: Michael Priest Photography photos: read more inside > From left: Sir Matthew Bourne, Richard Gaddes, Professor Anthony Bowne. trinitylaban.ac.uk/alumni Development Board, chaired by business leader John TRINITY LABAN IN NEW YORK Crompton. The Development Board, which is a volunteer Board, has a diverse membership, including alumni, continued from overleaf > donors and representatives of different interest groups. At the reception Sir Matthew presented music alumnus It is responsible for advising on Trinity Laban’s Richard Gaddes with an Honorary Fellowship of Trinity fundraising strategy and driving forward the Laban. Richard received the award in recognition of his Transform Trinity Laban campaign. remarkable 50 year career in opera in the USA which As part of our Transform Trinity Laban campaign we included positions as the General Director of both Santa are undertaking extensive works to update our facilities Fe Opera and Opera Theater of St Louis. On accepting and estates across both faculties, for the benefit of his award Richard said, “Life takes strange twists and our students. This will include a series of exciting turns, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that improvement works by the end of 2018 to Blackheath Trinity College of Music was directly responsible for my Halls, our main concert venue, which will benefit both career in opera, and for my coming to America in the future audiences and performers. first place. But more important, it was the four years studying that equipped me with the musical background If you are interested in finding out more about how you I needed, and fine-tuned my ear for what lay ahead in can support Trinity Laban please contact Bernadette my career.” Benati [email protected] or 020 8305 4461. As well as the Honorary Fellowship presentation, the reception also celebrated Trinity Laban’s increasing presence and importance in the USA. As part of this, NEW HONORARY FELLOW AWARDS we plan to have more opportunities to meet alumni there. So if you know any fellow alumni who are based Every year, Trinity Laban awards a number of Honorary in the USA please do ask them to get in touch if they Fellowships to individuals who have made a significant don’t already hear from us. contribution in the fields of the performing arts and education. As well as the recent award given to alumnus Richard Gaddes, we were very pleased to present awards to Jude Kelly CBE, Dr Timothy Reynish and ALUMNUS GIVES VALUABLE Richard Alston CBE. SUPPORT TO BASS STUDENT Jude Kelly has directed over 100 theatrical and operatic productions from the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Châtelet in Paris. She founded the Battersea Arts Centre and Solent People's Theatre, and was the founding director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse. For the last ten years she has been Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre in London. Dr Timothy Reynish was Head of the School of Wind and Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music for 21 years, building the RNCM Wind Orchestra as one of the leading ensembles of its kind. Outside of education, he has commissioned and premiered many works, and performed and toured on an international stage. Richard Alston is recognised as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary dance and has photos: Tas Kyprianou Tas photos: been Artistic Director of The Place since 1994. He was We are always enormously grateful to those alumni previously Artistic Director of Ballet Rambert before who generously contribute vital funds to support our forming his own company, The Richard Alston Dance students. One recent kind donation was from alumnus Company, which tours nationally and internationally. Ken May (LTCL Voice 1970 and FTCL Conducting 1973) who has provided a scholarship to support MA double bass student, Nia Costantino. Ken has a long association with Trinity Laban and talks fondly about the opportunities given to him by the college. His career included working as a music organiser and Chief Officer in local government before he set up his own business and management consultancy. As an adviser he was closely involved in the move of the Laban Centre from New Cross to its current building in Deptford. As part of our fundraising efforts, we are also very pleased to announce the formation of Trinity Laban’s first photo: jk-photography photo: 2 BOARD APPOINTS NEW CHAIR STAFF NEWS Hans Koller has been appointed the new Head of Jazz taking over from Simon Purcell who stepped down at the end of the last academic year but who continues to teach at Trinity Laban. Hans is a pianist, trombonist, composer and arranger. He emerged as a major force in the UK jazz scene with his 2002 album New Memories. Since then he has pursued twin careers as performer – collaborating with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians – and educator, as Senior Lecturer in Jazz at Birmingham Conservatoire. Dr Claire Mera-Nelson is stepping down as Director of Music to take up the post of Director, Music and London for Arts Council England. Claire has worked at Trinity Laban for more than 18 years and in this time In July last year, Harriet Harman MP officially took up has held a number of important roles, including Head the post of Chair of the Board of Governors, taking over of Postgraduate Studies, Head of Research, Dean from Lord David Lipsey. of Studies and Director of Creative Futures, before becoming Director of Music in 2010. Professor Anthony The unpaid position of Chair of the Board is a key Bowne, Principal of Trinity Laban, paid tribute to her, role, as the Trinity Laban Board is the governing body saying: “Claire has been an exceptional leader and for the institution, responsible for ensuring effective ambassador for Trinity Laban, and an unparalleled management and determining the future direction of creative and strategic thinker who has helped us the organisation. develop and thrive…Among many other things, she Harriet, who is an avid opera-goer and dance enthusiast, introduced new Musical Theatre programmes and our was first elected MP for Peckham (now Camberwell and CoLab festival of collaboration, brokered numerous key Peckham) in 1982 and has represented this constituency partnerships (most recently with the Open University for 35 years. She has held numerous offices of state – and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), increased our Leader of the House of Commons, Secretary of State for international profile (notably through her involvement Equalities, Minister for Women and Shadow Secretary of with the Association of European Conservatoires) and State for Culture, Media and Sport. She also served as helped us introduce a range of innovative distance Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour Party. learning programmes…I thank Claire for all that she has done for us, and I wish her the greatest success Harriet said of her new role: “Trinity Laban is at the heart in her new role.” of a vibrant and diverse community, and is determined to reach out and engage with all aspects of the modern world. It's vital that talented performers, in the UK and internationally, get their chance to achieve their full potential…Trinity Laban has constantly innovated, whether in sacred music, dance science, musical theatre or jazz, and is at the cutting edge of artistic development. To be a musician or a dancer demands superhuman commitment from young people and Trinity Laban is there to back them up by providing world-leading teaching, support and performance opportunities.” WERE YOU A STUDENT AT TRINITY photos: jk-photography photos: COLLEGE OF MUSIC IN THE 1980S? We shared news in the last edition of Encore that Teresa Kelsey, affectionately known as TK, retired On Sunday 1 July we will be hosting a reunion for music after 38 years. We were very pleased that she joined alumni who studied at Trinity College of Music in the us in October for an evening to celebrate her time as 1980s. This is a chance to see old friends and meet ballet teacher at Laban Centre and Trinity Laban and to new ones whilst visiting us at the Faculty of Music in the wish her a fond farewell. Following a reception guests historic Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich. As part of attended a performances dedicated to TK, Tomorrow’s the day you will be able to see the facilities and find out Stars Today, which featured five new commissioned how Trinity Laban has grown from its days at Mandeville pieces performed by final year BA students – a fitting Place.