Dr Shirley Thompson OBE, Composer and Reader in Composition and Performance at the University of Westminster, has recently been named by The Guardian a changemaker in defining black history alongside other high-profile names including racing driver Lewis Hamilton.
The Guardian published a 2,000-year history poster of significant individuals and events that have shaped and defined black history to highlight the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement after recent events such as the murder of George Floyd and the pulling down of the 17th-century slave trader statue in Bristol.
She was mentioned among other high-profile names such as Lewis Hamilton, Bernardine Everisto and David Olusoga.
Dr Thompson was recognised in the piece as one of the changemakers of today. Not only is she a visionary artist, she is a cultural activist and an inspiration to many. She has massively influenced and contributed to the music field, becoming the first woman in Europe to conduct and compose a symphony within the last 40 years. She has also been named “one of the most inspirational Black British women” by the Metro newspaper.
Dr Thompson said: “I am thrilled that my operatic and symphonic productions over the last 30 years have changed the perception of thousands in the UK, Europe & around the world that now see themselves as equal investors in opera and classical music.”
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