Aled Jones and Joyce DiDonato receive RAM fellowship

3 July 2014, 15:03 | Updated: 3 July 2014, 16:34

Classic FM presenter and singer Aled Jones and soprano Joyce DiDonato have both been honoured with a fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music.

The ceremony, which was held at the Academy earlier today, presented fellowships to a range of musicians who were deemed to have excelled in their respective areas.

The citation for Jones, who attended the Royal Academy in the early 1990s after having found fame as the singer of 'Walking In The Air', complimented his ability to sustain his musical career beyond his early fame. 

Gallery: Aled Jones' career in pictures

"Aled’s formative years were spent as a famous treble, performing in major venues, and releasing award-winning records, no doubt to the delight of countless mothers worldwide," the citation read.

"When Aled arrived at the Academy, his voice long-since broken, he was raring to go with a fresh set of goals and challenges ahead of him."

Joyce DiDonato was described at the event as "the ruling queen of opera's bel canto."

And with the singular, spectacular, sensational Dr. Sir Thomas Allen! WHAT an honor!!! pic.twitter.com/ezA42gTsUT

— Joyce DiDonato (@JoyceDiDonato) July 3, 2014

@RoyalAcadMusic What an honor this was today! Many thanks and congratulations to all the Grads!!!

— Joyce DiDonato (@JoyceDiDonato) July 3, 2014

‘It is not often that a student joins the Academy as a seasoned professional, but Aled Jones was an unusual applicant.’

— Royal Academy Music (@RoyalAcadMusic) July 3, 2014