Top artist to be honoured

A PIONEERING artist who previously collaborated with Kylie Minogue will be honoured by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Akram Khan MBE, artistic director, choreographer and dancer will be celebrated alongside the class of 2024 at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s summer graduation.

Khan is one of the world’s most celebrated and respected dance artists. Acclaimed for his dance language rooted in the ancient Indian dance Kathak, his reputation has been built on the success of productions including Jungle Book reimagined.

Previous collaborators also include Florence and the Machine. Alongside Khan, actor, theatre director, activist and RCS drama alumnus Ivan Heng and musician Vashti Bunyan will be celebrated.

Ivan Heng is celebrated for boundary- breaking theatre work that reflects our contemporary concerns and gives voice to the marginalised. Ivan founded the internationally acclaimed Wild Rice theatre company in 2000.

While Vashti Bunyan is a singer and songwriter who wanted to bring acoustic music into mainstream pop in the mid- 60s. She was rediscovered in 2000 after the re- release of her 1970 album, Just Another Diamond Day, which has become a cult classic. After a gap of 35 years, her second album Lookaftering, produced by Max Richter, was released to critical acclaim.

Vashti then produced and recorded Heartleap in her own studio and has since performed all over the world.

The trio will join around 300 students who will graduate across music, drama, dance, production, film and education during a ceremony on July 4.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “Akram Khan, Ivan Heng and Vashti Bunyan are three visionary artists who are being recognised for their exceptional contributions to the world of music, dance and theatre and the unique artistic imprints they have made on arts and culture.”