On November 20, legendary sitar virtuoso and composer, Maestro Ravi Shankar, was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (Trinity Laban). The renowned musician was honoured for his contribution to the performance and promotion of Indian Music both nationally and internationally, his patronage of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Centre (Bhavan), and his support of the introduction of collaborative programmes and projects at Trinity Laban (which comprises Trinity College of Music and contemporary dance centre Laban).
Ravi Shankar received the award at an intimate ceremony in the Admiral’s House on the Old Royal Naval College world heritage site – Trinity College of Music’s beautiful home. Speeches were given by Trinity Laban Joint Principal Derek Aviss and Trinity Laban Chairman Sir Bob Scott, who also presented the award certificate. Maestro Ravi Shankar then shared some precious memories of his life in music.
Event attendees included Ravi Shankar’s wife Sukanya; Trinity College, London Chairman Sir Keith Stuart and Chief Executive Sarah Kemp; Bhavan Chairman Maneck Dalal OBE, and Executive Director Dr M N Nandakumara; Trinity Laban staff including Governor Vimmi Singh; and Junior Trinity alumnus and composer Duncan Ward – a Trustee of the WAM Foundation, a UK charity which works with children across India.
The ceremony featured a drum and sitar performance by Bhavan musicians and disciples of Ravi Sankar: Sanjay Guha and Rajkumar Misra. Bhavan was founded in Mumbai, India in 1938 to preserve the tradition of Indian art and culture. The UK Bhavan was the first independent overseas branch. Trinity College of Music collaborated with the UK Centre to offer the first BMus (Hons) in Indian Music in the UK, now validated by City University.
Ravi Shankar, performer, composer, teacher and writer, is one of India's most esteemed musical ambassadors. He is known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West through teaching, performance, and his association with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison of The Beatles. Shankar was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999. He has also received the Praemium Imperiale from Japan; the Polar Music Prize from Sweden, referred to as the Nobel prize of music; the Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur, the highest French civilian award; the Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire; and three Grammy Awards.
Derek Aviss, Joint Principal of Trinity Laban and Principal of Trinity College of Music comments: “Maestro Ravi Shankar has been hugely influential on the lives of musicians across the world. We are honoured to present him with this, Trinity Laban’s highest award. It was a great pleasure to meet him and hear him talk about his extraordinary life.”
Image © Alex RumfordFor more information, images or interviews, please contact Miranda Harris on 020 8469 9549 or at mharris@trinitylaban.ac.uk
