The Music Mark Awards 2024 Shortlist

After receiving some fantastic nominations for this year’s Music Mark Awards, we are pleased to bring you the 2024 shortlist! A panel of judges scored the nominations, made up of representatives from the award sponsors, our Board of Trustees and staff team. The winners will be announced on Monday 18th November during the dinner of our Annual Conference, but for now, take a look at the shortlisted nominees. 

Talk into Action Inclusion Award, sponsored by Sing Up 

The Talk into Action Inclusion Award celebrates the work of members that is meaningful and innovating in widening access to music education.  

Hertfordshire Music Service 

Now entering its fourth year, HertsArts serves as a beacon of empowerment and creativity for children in care. A collaborative initiative between HMS and the Virtual School, it endeavours to provide weekly music groups, performance opportunities, and celebratory events for children looked after in Hertfordshire. Through the medium of music, HertsArts seeks to nurture not only musical skills but also confidence, relationships, communication abilities, leadership qualities, and a profound sense of self-worth among its participants. 

MAC Makes Music and Solihull Music 

MAC Makes Music and Solihull Music’s Youth Justice project provides a weekly twilight platform for young people involved in the youth justice system to express themselves through music. The project has empowered individuals, fostered personal growth, and built confidence. The initiative’s focus on the young people’s creative interests was particularly evident in their end-of-term celebration; a music video project, that showcased the creation and professional recording of a collaborative track about knife crime in their community.  

Lancashire Music Service 

As part of the wider music technology strategy written by Ben Rapp for Lancashire Music Service, an accessible instrument and music technology library has been created – the first of its kind. The ten specialist instruments currently offered in the Library were chosen to allow maximum engagement with pupils of all abilities, individually and in groups, and for use by non-verbal students and those with limited movement. Teaching templates and videos for each of the resources are freely available online, allowing Specialist Schools to try out cutting-edge resources before completing any purchases, with plans to roll them out to mainstream schools. 

Youth Initiative of the Year, sponsored by ABRSM 

Celebrating youth-led projects, this award seeks to highlight the work of children and young people in making great music initiatives happen. 

Gateshead and South Tyneside Music Hub 

The Musical Youth Revolution was a Youth Music funded project, in partnership with the Gem Arts, that saw the creation of a Youth Advisory Board, called Reverberate, which curated an event for 300 primary school children across Gateshead to experience dynamic music-making from a diverse range of artists. The project also saw the Hub recruit a young person to their board, their Youth Voice Lead who facilitated the Reverberate sessions. 

Legacy A Cappella 

Legacy A Cappella (aged 15-21 years) has taken the contemporary a cappella world by storm – all through their own talent, drive and incredible work ethic. With stunning arrangements, choreography and powerful vocals (self-led), they have gone from novices to a Royal Albert Hall performance to reaching the UK finals of the prestigious ICCA championships, beating seven university groups along the way, despite most of the group being under 18! Everything is decided, developed and led by the group themselves. 

Orchestras for All 

In the UK, the need to improve access to music-making and music education for young people is growing. National youth music charity, Orchestras for All (OFA) is working tirelessly to address this need. OFA breaks down barriers to give all young people the life-changing experience of making music together. Its inclusive, non-auditioned National Orchestra for All brings together 100 young musicians from across the UK who would otherwise be unable to access musical opportunities. Their Modulo and Music Leadership Training programmes have a broad reach and impact on young people, and they place young people at the heart of their work with youth roles on their Board of Trustees, staff team, and Youth Board.  

Digital Project of the Year, sponsored by SpeedAdmin 

This award aims to share and celebrate some of the most exciting projects and activity taking place around the UK, that have digital and technology as a key component of their success. 

Leicestershire Music Service 

Leicestershire Music’s (LM) innovative Space Scratch Symphony (SSS) project was groundbreaking and a testament to the transformative power of music education and digital integration. Key components included lessons for Turntablists, a 75-strong student orchestra blending classical instruments with modern digital sounds, a choir amplifying the symphony’s impact, digital animations and more. The project encapsulates the essence of digital innovation, collaboration, and educational excellence, leaving a lasting impact on all participants and setting a high standard for digital music projects. 

Trafford Music Service 

Trafford Music Service launched Music Production sessions for KS2 and KS3 students in 2023/24, addressing a gap in our digital and technology offerings. These weekly one-hour sessions introduce students to music technology through exciting modules like music for games, film, and podcasting, training them to become multidisciplinarians. This program is designed for children who might not typically engage with music, providing them with an accessible, creative outlet. Their goal is to increase access to music and creativity while demonstrating the positive impact of technology and screen time. 

Lancashire Music Service 

Lancashire Music Service’s accessible instrument and music technology library has been shortlisted for both the Talk into Action Inclusion Award, and the Digital Project of the Year award. 

Unsung Hero in Music Education 

So much great work across the UK from organisations and individuals goes under the radar. We want to highlight this work, not only to celebrate achievements, but to share ideas and inspire others with what is happening around the country.   

Danielle Ballentine-Drake 

Danielle led a team of music teachers to deliver an inspiring project in seven early years settings across a deprived area of Reading, Berkshire, funded by Aspire2Whitley. They reached over 550 2 – 3-year-olds in the first year, bringing them the joy and benefits of regular music making. It was such a success that further funding was found to do more in 2023-24 so almost double the number of children were reached. The project included training for staff in the settings too, which was led by Danielle, and school staff speak of it being the most successful project Aspire2 has ever provided for young children. 

Nick Howdle 

Nick Howdle has, for several years, led one of the most innovative and dynamic Music Education Hubs in England: Wiltshire Music Connect. Navigating the closure of the Music Service, Nick also established the Wiltshire Music Connect Associate Scheme, Music Cluster and tuition subsidy Schemes, was the driving force behind setting up the national DIME alliance, and pushed boundaries with his Over the Digital Horizon project. He is never afraid to try new models or buck the trend by calling out outdated or inequitable approaches. He strives constantly to make music education fair, future-facing and sustainable. 

Georgina Spray 

Georgina Spray is a trailblazer in music education and disability advocacy. Nominated by MAC Makes Music, where she currently acts as an Emerging Music Leader, Georgina, is a multi-talented musician, session leader, researcher, and Young Ambassador for the National Autistic Society, she is a true inspiration to all those she works with – both professionals and young musicians alike. As an Assistant Music Leader with the National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO), Georgina demonstrates exceptional skill in tailoring support for individual musicians. Her impact spans from considered bespoke mentorship to younger, associate orchestra members, to the wider-reaching impact of supporting a national ensemble and her contribution to sharing her lived experiences in key research projects. 

We will also announce the surprise winner of the This Is Not A Rehearsal Sustainability Award, sponsored by Normans Education at the conference! Get your ticket now so you don’t miss out.