Yamaha Education Projects

Classic FM Music Teacher Of The Year

(Photo: Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport presenting the award for Secondary School Music Teacher to Tara Thorn of Painsley Catholic College in Stoke and the award for Primary School Music Teacher to Frances McMillan of Hamilton Primary School in High Wycomb, November 2008.)

For some years Yamaha has partnered Classic FM in the 'Music Teacher Of The Year' competition, in which pupils, parents, governors and teaching colleagues nominate inspirational teachers for national recognition through this important programme. In 2008, the three-day Music for Youth Schools Proms at the Royal Albert Hall provided the backdrop for the award presentaions, in which Yamaha now provides awards in six categories. The 2008 winners were:

• Newly Qualified Music Teacher: Hannah Powell, Crown Woods School, Eltham
• Lifetime Achievement: Tom Rainbow,Malorees Junior School, London
• Special Education Needs Music Teacher: Kirstie Byrne, Marjorie McClure School, Kent
• Peripatetic Music Teacher: Dan Jones*, Tees Valley Music Service
• Secondary School Music Teacher: Tara Thorn, Painsley Catholic College, Stoke
• Primary School Music Teacher: Frances McMillan, Hamilton Primary School, High Wycombe.

The six winning teachers will receive Yamaha prizes worth £30,000 for their school or music centre, as well as goodies from leading music software company, Sibelius. In November each year the awards are announced and presented at Music For Youth's spectacular Schools Prom concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall.

*You can read an article from winner of the 2008 instrumental teacher award, Dan Jones, in the Summer 2009 issue of YES.

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(Updated: October 2009)