We're delighted to see Peter Broadbent in the New Year's Honours list! The founding conductor of the Joyful Company of Singers, Peter was also abcd's first Director of Training, and the instigator of our long-established and widely acclaimed extended choral conducting programme. From the first Intermediate course pilot back in 1999, our courses have since grown to encompass training at all levels for leaders of all types of singing; Peter was the backbone of our training programme for many years and remains a senior tutor.
As well as his contribution to choral music in this country, Peter has flown the flag of choral music internationally for many years, sitting on international juries, giving master classes and leading the World Youth Choir in 2006. He received the Pro Cultura Hungarica Award for his services to Anglo-Hungarian musical relations and in 2016 was presented with the Knight's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit. With the Joyful Company of Singers, Peter continues to promote a huge range of choral repertoire, including many first performances, and particularly encouraging young composers and young conductors.
Congratulations Peter!
The list also included an MBE for Andrew Carwood (St Paul's Cathedral), a CBE for John Gilhooly (Wigmore Hall), a BEM for founder of Choir of the Earth Mark Strachan, and an OBE for Mark Pemberton, the Chief Executive of the Association of British Orchestras, who has worked tirelessly for musicians for many years, but particularly latterly with the double-whammy of Covid and Brexit - he was also involved in our campaign for singing last summer. Congratulations to all.
Posted: Fri 31st December 2021