Knighthood for festival director

Mr McMaster, 59, previously awarded a CBE, said he was "very pleased".

Mr McMaster studied law at university and qualified as a solicitor before going on to work in the record industry, which proved a springboard into the arts world.

The other people from Hertfordshire honoured by the Queen in her New Year list are:

Order of the Bath
CB
David Anthony Hartnett. policy and technical director general, Inland Revenue.
Order of St Michael and St George
CMG
William Eric Peacock, of Bovington, chief executive, Business Link Hertfordshire, for services to International Trade.
Order of the British Empire
CBE
Thomas Lehner, of Barnet, chair, basic and applied immunology, University of London. For services to oral immunology and dental health.
Robert Stanley Raine, of St Albans, head, Commonwealth Games Division, Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Graham Robert Wynne, of Royston, chief executive, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, for services to Nature Conservation.
OBE
David Colin Andrews, of Royston, consultant, Careers Education and Guidance, for services to careers education.
Douglas James Broom, of Potters Bar, lately head of Events and Technical Services, Central Office of Information Communications.
Mrs Anne Griffiths, of Potters Bar, City Hall Project Sponsor, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
John Ladley, of Watford, head of operational services, Hendon Data Centre, Police Information Technology Organisation.
Mrs Isobel Morton, of Rickmansworth, district manager, Jobcentre Plus, Department for Work and Pensions.
David Moses, of Royston, chairman, National Steering Committee on Warning and Informing the Public, for services to Emergency Planning in the UK.
Bhupendra Raja, of Elstree, lately assistant director, Department of Trade and Industry, for services to Racial Equality.
John Dominic Reid, of Hertford, Pageantmaster, Corporation of London. For services to the City of London and to the Golden Jubilee.
David Paul Skidmore, of St Albans, secretary, Church of England, Board for Social Responsibility, for services to the Church of England.
MBE
Peter Harry Davis, of Radlett, chairman, Galleon Scout Fellowship and London Scout Councils, for services to Young People.
Mrs Mary Dorrington, of Bishops Stortford, for services to the Samaritans.
Roy William Jager, of Benington, lately Press Officer, Office for National Statistics.
Mrs Gay Sandra Kettle, of Wheathampstead, for services to dental therapy.
Patrick John Carol Larner, of St Albans, chairman, Hightown Praetorian Housing Association, for services in St Albans.
Mrs Patricia Ann Vadaszffy, of Dacorum, for services to the Citizens' Advice Bureau in Dacorum.
Mrs Jane Wilson, of Markyate, patient information and partnership co-ordinator, Whittington Hospital, London, for services to health.

Bedfordshire's honours:
Order of the British Empire
OBE
Thomas William Miller, of Edlesborough, lately director, Food Regulatory Affairs, Whitbread plc, for services to food safety.
Brian Guy Woodrow, DL, of Bedford, for services to the community in Bedford.
MBE The Hon Mrs Catherine Fiona Chapman, of Milton Keynes, member, Mid Bedfordshire District Council, for services to Local Government and to the community.
Mrs Josephine Ward, of Sandy, customer support programmes manager, MBDA UK Ltd, for services to the defence industry.

Buckinghamshire's honours:
Order of the British Empire
CBE
Michael David Kenneth Willoughby Foot, of Great Missenden, managing director, Financial Services Authority, for services to Financial Regulation.
Mrs Mary Christina McFarlane, of Bierton, director, nursing and patient care, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, for services to the NHS. MBE
Miss Naomi Christine Arnold. Director of Arena, of Stoke Poges, for services to the hospitality industry.
The Hon Mrs Catherine Fiona Chapman, of Milton Keynes, member, Mid Bedfordshire District Council, for services to local government and to the community.
Robert John Green, of Weston Turville, for services to the community in Weston Turville.
Alan Noble, of Olney, adult education and lifelong learning officer, Buckinghamshire, for
Feliks Puczylowski, of Stokenchurch, for services to Polish ex-Servicemen and Women.
Stephen Springer, of Olney, for services to tourism.