Music & Drama Education Awards 2021

Sponsored by Classic FM, the ISM, the MU and the MTA, the awards recognised outstanding achievement in music and drama education over an extremely challenging year, as well as the inspiring contribution to Drama education of Aine Lark – Chair of National Drama and a very sad loss to many when she passed away in the summer of 2020.

Because of the unprecedented circumstances of the Coronavirus pandemic, a new award category was created this year, the Goldstars Award, which recognised UK teachers who have shown particular compassion, flair and creativity during the pandemic. It was won by Services for Education deputy head of service Charlotte Buxton, described by the judges as ‘a person who has formidable impact and reach, with a remarkable ambition and vision, who has made an amazing achievement in challenging times.’  

The Drama & Theatre magazine Editor’s Award was given to Theatre Peckham. Presenting the award, Editor Sarah Lambie said ‘I’ve chosen to give my award this year to a cultural venue with its focus on young people, offering opportunities for arts training and engagement to a huge number of people, many of whom come from underrepresented groups in the arts more generally. The company has found ways to continue its work and output through this most extraordinary of years, and for their support and dedication to the young people from their community, I’m delighted to present the Drama & Theatre Editor’s Award to Theatre Peckham,’ and accepting the award, Artistic Director Suzann Maclean said ‘Wow, thank you so much, winning the Editor’s Award such an honour, it’s a wonderful recognition of the work that we do with young people, and it’s just the encouragement we need to keep on leading the change for it to ripple through our sector. A massive thank you from all of us here at Theatre Peckham.’

Here are the winners in full:  

• Outstanding Musical Initiative: Dads Rock Academy and The London Music Fund 
• Outstanding Drama Initiative: Platform by Tonic Theatre and Nick Hern Books 
• Outstanding Music Education Resource: Services for Education Online Learning Resource 
• Outstanding Drama Education Resource: A Beginner’s Guide to Devising theatre by Tashi Gore and Jess Thorpe, Published by Methuen Drama 
• Excellence in SEND (Music & Drama): Reach oRchestRa 
• Excellence in Musical Theatre: A Place for Us CIC for West Side Story – I Wish it Was Yesterday 
• Excellence in Primary/Early Years: RSF for The RSF Primary Schools Rock & Pop Music Workshop Programme 
• Outstanding School Drama or Music Department: Isaac Newton Academy Music Department 
• Francesca Hanley Inspiration Award: Shaheen Chino Khan, founder of The Bollywood Academy  
• Drama Inspiration Award: Aine Lark 
• #Goldstars Award: Charlotte Buxton 
• Music Teacher Magazine Editor’s Award: Walter S Reiter for The Baroque Violin & Viola: a Fifty-Lesson Course 
• Drama & Theatre Magazine Editor’s Award: Theatre Peckham 
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr Atarah Ben-Tovim MBE 

www.musicdramaedawards.com