And the winners of the 2022 Making Music awards are...

Annual celebration recognises music creators and arrangers, projects, music directors and group heroes.

The winners of the 2022 Making Music Awards were announced by Debbie Wiseman OBE, Making Music President, at an online awards ceremony on Thursday 22 September.

The annual awards celebrate the creativity of Making Music’s 3,900 member groups and spotlights the individuals who help the UK leisure-time music sector to flourish. Prizes range from promotion across Making Music’s networks to financial support towards commissions and projects.

The awards were judged by panels of experts drawn from across the music sector, with the exception of the group hero award, which was decided by online public vote.

Barbara Eifler, Making Music Chief Executive, said:

“The quality and creativity of groups and artists are evident in the shortlists and winners of these awards. We are delighted to be shining a much-deserved light on these talented groups and the dedicated individuals who work with them, and who help the UK leisure-time music sector to remain so vibrant.”

Debbie Wiseman OBE, Making Music President, said:

“I am deeply impressed by the talent, musicianship and boundless enthusiasm of not just the winners but all nominees for this year’s Making Music Awards. It was a pleasure to listen to such a diverse selection of music, and it was a tremendously difficult decision to name a winner in each category, because the quality of the music making, as in previous years, continues to be of the highest standard.” 

The winners of the 2022 Making Music Awards are as follows: 
 
Best music creator for leisure-time music group 

Winner: 

• Nathan James Dearden – i breathe, for National Youth Choirs of Great Britain

Shortlisted: 

• Finn Anderson – Distant Dream, for The Sunday Boys 
• Joanna Forbes L’Estrange  and Alexander L’Estrange – Sing, Sing, Sing!, for Scunthorpe and District Choral Society

Best arranger for leisure-time music group

Winner: 

• Michael Betteridge – Urge for Going, for The Sunday Boys 

Shortlisted:  

• George Morton – five pieces including The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Scheherazade, William Tell Overture, for Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra 
• Peter Davis – two extracts from William Hamilton Bird’s Oriental Miscellany, for Street Orchestra Live 

Panel for best music creator and best arranger: Debbie Wiseman OBE (Making Music President); Dorothy Wilson MBE (Making Music Chair); Russell Keable (Music Director, Kensington Symphony Orchestra); Sally Groves MBE (former Creative Director of Schott Music).

Best project with a focus on new music

Winner: 

• The Sunday Boys – commissioned and performed three works by LGBTQ+ composers as part of the inaugural Corridor of Light Festival in Manchester.

Shortlisted:

• Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra 
• Haddo Arts 

Panel for best project with a focus on new music: Dorothy Wilson MBE (Making Music Chair); Clare Edwards (Director of Learning & Events, Young Voices); Emma Campbell (Music Officer, Creative Scotland); Graeme Wilson (Music Director, Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society).

Best music director

Winner: 

• Chris Parsons, Bury St Edmunds Friendly Orchestra 

Shortlisted: 

• Stephen Marshall, Crickhowell Choral Society  
• Thomas Leech, Bradford Festival Choral Society 

Panel for best music director: Martyn Brabbins (Music Director, English National Opera); Dorothy Wilson MBE (Making Music Chair); Derek Harrison (Music Director, Knebworth Community Chorus). 
 
Group hero 
 
Winner: 

• Bradford Festival Choral Society team (Alice Phelps, Fran Wyburn, Thomas Leech, Christopher Pulleyn, Pariss Joseph, James Hamilton), Bradford Festival Choral Society 

Shortlisted:

• Ben Baughan, The Sunday Boys
• Musicians in Exile, The Glasgow Barons
• Nigel Britten and Sally Moran, Beckenham Chorale

The group hero award was decided by online public vote. Find out more and read nominations
 

Every year, Making Music presents numerous awards, bursaries and prizes to individuals, music groups and organisations in both the leisure-time and professional music sectors.  Find out more