Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance has named AR Rahman as its Honorary President, continuing a longtime collaboration between the London-based university and the legendary composer's KM Music Conservatory situated in Chennai. Rahman is set to take on the position for five years. Previous artists to have assumed the role include violinist Sir Yehudi Menuhin and conductor Sir Charles Mackerras. In a social media post, Trinity Laban said, "As Honorary President, Rahman will be an inspirational figure for Trinity Laban’s students and alumni, supporting their artistic growth."
Making the announcement, Trinity Laban President, Professor Anthony Bowne, said, "AR Rahman embodies the ethos of innovation, engagement and excellence that we strive to achieve at Trinity Laban. His work transcends boundaries across multiple art forms and genres, and we believe his leadership will inspire our students to broaden their musical experiences and embrace new forms of artistic expression."
Responding to the news, Rahman stated, "It is a great honour and privilege for me to accept the role of Honorary President of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. When I visited Trinity Laban in 2023, I recognised the institution’s deep drive to nurture the best of art for the world; an ever evolving, living expression to be shared with the world. This is a similar ideal I seek to instil in my own KM Music Conservatory and Sunshine Orchestra in Chennai. We live in an age where music, dance, and technology combined are primed to explore the vastness of human expression. I am glad that the creative relationships between UK and India can continue to be strengthened and I hope that through this role we can explore more exciting possibilities for the future together."
The London university also supports the composer's project Sunshine Orchestra, which provides underprivileged children with music education.
