A City solicitor and music patron whose philanthropic activities include buying a local music shop to save it from closure has been awarded an OBE in the Birthday Honours list.

Ian Rosenblatt (pictured), founder and senior partner of City firm Rosenblatt Solicitors, receives the honour for music philanthropy.  

Rosenblatt, who established his 23-partner firm in 1989, is the founder and sponsor of the Rosenblatt Recitals, London’s only world-class series of opera recitals.

The series, based at Wigmore Hall, has put on some 180 concerts, giving many of the world’s leading opera singers their London or professional debut. In 2013, Rosenblatt also launched the Branscombe Festival in East Devon to bring world-class music to an intimate and rural setting.

In 2013, Rosenblatt bought an independent music shop, Les Aldrich in Muswell Hill, north London, saving it from imminent closure. He can often be found behind the counter on Saturdays. 

Rosenblatt said: 'Music is an important element of what makes us a civilised society and I am proud to do what I can to support young talent and make world-class music more accessible to the general British public.'

Meanwhile, barrister Tunde Okewale of Doughty Street Chambers has been awarded an OBE for his services to the community and disadvantaged young people.

Okewale is the founder of the social enterprise Urban Lawyers, which was set up in 2009 to make the law ‘more accessible to marginalised groups in society’.

He is also the president and founder of Information Generation, which provides information for disaffected communities and has recently awarded four scholarships in partnership with BPP Law School.