1961
The student-led ‘Liverpool Amateur Radio Society’ is founded at the Guild of Students.
1963
Yehudi Menuhin, considered one of the great violinists of the 20th century is awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws.
1965
The University admits undergraduates to the honours degree in Music for the first time.
1968
A group of influential Liverpool poets including Adrian Henri (Hon LittD 2000), Roger McGough (Hon LittD 2006) and Andy Roberts (LLB 1968) release an album of poetry, music and satire as part of their band ‘The Liverpool Scene’.
1971
The Who play Mountford Hall in the Guild for the princely sum of £1.
1979
Shirley J. Thompson OBE graduates with a BA (Hons) Music. Composer of symphonic and chamber music, she was the first woman of African heritage to create music for the BBC. She has been commissioned to write new music for the Coronation of King Charles III.
1981
Chris Lowe forms The Pet Shop Boys with Neil Tennant after graduating BA (Hons) Architecture from the University of Liverpool.
1988
The University’s Institute of Popular Music is founded.
1991
World-renowned conductor Sir Simon Rattle receives his honorary degree from the University of Liverpool.
1994
Organist of the Liverpool Cathedral, Noel Rawsthorne, received an honorary Doctor of Music from the University for his work with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra which included supervision of the refurbishment of the Rushworth and Dreaper organ in the Philharmonic Hall.
1998
The University hosts the International Association for the Study of Popular Music conference with the theme ‘Popular Music – Past and Future’.
2001
Yoko Ono Lennon is awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University, 10 years after she established the John Lennon Memorial Scholarship Fund supporting students from Merseyside in financial need.
2002
Conductor and composer Carl Davis is awarded an honorary degree. He has written music for more than 100 television programmes and collaborated with Paul McCartney for the Liverpool Oratorio celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 1991.
2003
A large-scale setting of the psalm Nisi Dominus by Vivaldi is discovered by Emeritus Professor of Music Michael Talbot which had lain unnoticed in a Dresden library since the 18th century.
2004
Pete Waterman, one-third of the hit songwriting team Stock Aitken Waterman is awarded an honorary degree by University College Chester, then part of the University of Liverpool.
2005
Joan Rogers CBE, the English operatic soprano, becomes honorary Doctor of Music at the University. After graduating from the University in 1978, she entered the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
2007
A public event of music archives was held showing more than 50 years of popular music history housed within the University which included rare magazines and concert programmes.
2008
Elvis Costello is awarded an honorary Doctor of Music by the University of Liverpool and the City of Liverpool becomes European Capital of Culture.
2009
Composer Kenneth Hesketh and Principal Conductor Vasily Petrenko from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra become Honorary Professors at the University.
2011
An extensive three-year research project by the University is undertaken which explores the contribution the famous Liverpool family music business, Rushworths, made to the cultural life of Liverpool.
2012
The debut album, Chapman Square, is released by the band Lawson and reaches number three in the UK album chart. The lead singer, Andy Brown, is a graduate of the University gaining a BSc (Hons) in Internet Computing in 2008.
2015
Liverpool becomes a UNESCO City of Music.
2016
The Adagio sculpture, a 30ft kinetic sculpture rescued from the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall during refurbishments is installed in the newly refurbished Harold Cohen Library.
2017
Dr Mike Jones, Reader in Music Industry, writes, directs and produces ‘George Harrison and Indian Music’ a concert performed at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.
2020
Merciful Sound, a student-run record label is established offering undergraduate Music students a real-world opportunity to be part of a fully functioning independent record label.
2021
The University launches the world’s first MA exploring the Beatles' impact on music and heritage.
2022
Sean Ono Lennon officially opens the University's new Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, including the Tung Auditorium concert venue.
2022
Nick Burgess, co-president of Parlaphone Records and Brit Award trustee, who works with artists including Lewis Capaldi and David Guetta, is awarded an honorary degree.
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