Last weekend at the 2025 BRIT Awards, Ezra Collective took home the 'Group of the year' award, following the success of their critically acclaimed 2024 album Dance, No One’s Watching. They also performed on stage at the awards ceremony in London's O2 Arena, making them the first-ever jazz group to do so at the BRIT Awards in its 45-year history. The band includes 2022 graduate Ife Ogunjobi (jazz trumpet) who was also a member of Junior Jazz before starting undergraduate studies at the Academy. Fellow members Femi Koleoso and Joe Armon-Jones also attended the Academy’s Junior Jazz course.
Nominations for the 2025 Olivier Awards, announced today, sees four Academy alumni shortlisted ahead of the awards ceremony on Sunday 6 April. Tenor Allan Clayton, who graduated in 2007, has been selected for the 'Outstanding Achievement in Opera' award for his performance in Festen at the Royal Opera House, while Junior Academy alum Es Devlin is up for the 'Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design' award for the production of Coriolanus at the National Theatre.
Musical Theatre graduates were also represented in this year's nominations, with Liv Andrusier receiving a nomination for 'Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical' for her performances in Fiddler on the Roof, alongside fellow alum Nicholas Skillbeck who has been nominated in the 'Outstanding Musical Contribution' category for musical supervision of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse. Honorary member of the Academy Imelda Staunton, who has taught masterclasses for our Musical Theatre Department, has been nominated for 'Best Actress in a Musical' for her performances in Hello, Dolly!.
We were proud to see that 11 Academy alumni and students have been named in Classic FM’s 'Rising Stars', a list of 30 musicians under the age of 30 who are evolving the classical music landscape. Current undergraduate students Jaren Ziegler (viola) and Sasha Canter (trumpet) and master's student Kasparas Mikužis (piano) were included, alongside Aud Jebsen Piano Fellow Junyan Chen. Also featured in the list were recent conducting graduates Nicolò Foron, Adam Hickox and Enyi Okpara, oboist Fergus McCready, french horn player Annemarie Federle, tenor Liam Bonthrone and composer Mary Offer.
The Academy would like to congratulate all alumni and students whose impact on the music profession is being recognised and celebrated.