Sir Peter Wright CBE

Sir Peter Wright made his debut as a professional dancer with the Ballets Jooss during World War II, and in the 1950's worked with several dance companies including Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. It was for this company that he created his first ballet A Blue Rose, in 1957.

In 1959, he was appointed as Ballet Master to the Sadler's Wells Opera and teacher at the Royal Ballet School. In 1961, he went to Stuttgart as teacher and ballet-master to the company being formed there by John Cranko. He choreographed several ballets, including The Mirror Walkers, Namouna, Design for Dancers and Quintet and also mounted his first production of Giselle.

He has subsequently produced this version of Giselle for the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and many other international companies. His other interpretations of the classics include The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker and these productions now feature regularly in opera houses throughout the world..........(click here for more)

Sir Simon Rattle CBE

In a career spanning more than 30 years, Simon Rattle has distinguished himself through his long-term relationships with a number of orchestras, wide-ranging repertoire and innovative educational and audience-building activities. He is currently Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berliner Philharmoniker and Principal Artist with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment........(click here for more)

Rudolph Walker MBE

Rudolph Walker broke many barriers as a performer, working extensively in theatre and becoming the first black person to star in a major television series. Walker, who arrived in Britain in 1960, established himself as a performer by working in repertory theatres across the country in the 1960s including the Mermaid Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse and the Malvern Theatre........(click here for more)

Professor George Caird

Following study in London and Cambridge, George Caird pursued a freelance career as an oboist which included orchestral playing, chamber music and solo engagements. He has worked with many of London’s major orchestras including the London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and City of London Sinfonia and particularly as a member of The Academy of St Martin in the Fields from 1984 to 1991...........(click here for more)

The Rt Revd David Urquhart

David was born in 1952 and is the ninth Bishop of Birmingham. He was educated at Rugby School and Ealing College Business School. After a career in commercial management David trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was ordained in 1984 and his appointment as Bishop of Birmingham was announced in 2006. David also acts as the Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy to China......(click here for more)

Dhruva Mistry

Dhruva was born in 1957, Kanjari, Gujarat . Studied MA, Faculty of Fine Arts, M SU, Baroda from 1974-81, then at the Royal College of Art in London from 1981-83 on a British Council Scholarship. 1984-85 artist in residence at Kettle's Yard Gallery with a Fellowship at Churchill College in Cambridge . In 1994, solo show , Asian Artist Today- Fukuoka Annual VII , Japan..........(click here for more)

Dr Sue Emmy Jennings