The Royal Conservatory Honours Dr. Corey Hamm and Adrian Anantawan with Honorary Fellowship

The Royal Conservatory is proud to recognize two extraordinary artists and educators whose impact resonates across global stages and classrooms alike. 

The Honorary Fellowship is one of The Royal Conservatory’s highest distinctions, recognizing individuals whose artistic excellence, leadership, and service have made a profound and lasting impact on music and music education. It celebrates not only achievement at the highest level, but also a deep commitment to inspiring and uplifting others through the power of music. 

Each year, at convocation ceremonies in Toronto and Vancouver, The Royal Conservatory names recipients of this prestigious award. 

For the 2025-26 academic year, we are pleased to honour Dr. Corey Hamm, an internationally celebrated pianist, commissioner, and educator. Renowned for his interpretation of Frederic Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated!, Dr. Hamm’s recording earned Spotify’s Best Classical Recording of 2014 and the Western Canadian Music Award for Best Classical Recording, and was named among the top three all-time recordings by International Piano Magazine in 2025. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, he has commissioned and premiered more than 400 new works and leads the groundbreaking Piano and Erhu Project, bridging Eastern and Western traditions. Dr. Hamm is Professor of Piano at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the Killam Teaching Award. He was honoured at our Vancouver convocation in February. 

We also honour Adrian Anantawan, violinist, educator, and global advocate for disability and the arts. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale University, and Harvard Graduate School of Education, Mr. Anantawan has performed at the White House, the Olympic Games, and the United Nations. He is the founder of the Music Inclusion Program and helped create the Virtual Chamber Music Initiative at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre, advancing adaptive instruments and inclusive ensemble performance. Mr. Anantawan currently serves as Chair of Music at Milton Academy, Artistic Director of Shelter Music Boston, and faculty member at Berklee College of Music. He received his honour at our Toronto convocation ceremony in November.