Several prominent UK musicians have been made Commanders of the Order of the British Empire in the recent New Year’s Honours for 2026.

The highest honor of Commander was given to two musicians: conductor Richard Haworth Farnes and composer Max Richter.

The Music Director of Opera North from 2004 to 2016, Farnes led productions at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, English Touring Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Glyndebourne on Tour, among others.

An influential composer, Richter’s style blends traditional orchestration with modern electronic elements. He has produced film and television scores for Denis Villeneuve, Martin Scorsese, and Ari Folman. He is particularly well known for his SLEEP project, which was an 8.5-hour musical enquiry into the way that sound and the sleeping mind interact.

Three musicians were made Officers: Karen Ruth Emanuel, founder and CEO of Key Production Group; Matthew Daniel Jones, leader of National Youth Arts Wales; and Dr Harjinder Singh Lallie, founder of Gurmat Sangeet Academy.

Mezzo-soprano Alice Coote received a CBE for services to the arts, having already been awarded an OBE in 2018. Coote regularly appears at houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, Royal Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra de Paris, Wiener Staatsoper, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Salzburg Festival.

“This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives,” said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be.”

“On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.”