Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award Noms Closing Wednesday, Amy Shark Calls The Award A 'Special One'

The Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award is returning this year, and nominations close at 5 pm tomorrow. Every year the public help determine the winner of the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award, with the winner to be announced as part of the annual ARIA Awards ceremony that takes place in November.

The Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award exists in conjunction with Telstra and The Song Room and works to celebrate music education and the essential role that music teachers play in inspiring and championing the next generation of young creators, their schools, and communities. This is the seventh year of the influential award. You can nominate your favourite music teacher here.

A shortlist of nominees will be announced with the other ARIA Award nominations in September. Each shortlisted nominee will be partnered with an artist ambassador who will connect with the school and tell each music teacher’s story.

Past ambassadors have included Jessica Mauboy, Tones And I, Ben Gillies, Baker Boy, Guy Sebastian, The Wiggles and Amy Shark. 

Amy Shark said about the award, “The annual Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award is a special one. It’s so important that we as a community recognise the integral role music teachers play, and it’s always a special moment to have it recognized on the ARIA stage.”

She added, “Music teachers encourage and foster the creative skills of the next generation of Australian talent, and I can’t wait to see who’s nominated this year.”

Previous winners of the Telstra ARIA Music Teachers Award include Matt Orchard (2022, Apollo Bay P-12 College, Apollo Bay, Victoria), Zoe Barry (2021, Fitzroy Sacred Heart School, Fitzroy, Victoria), Sarah Donnelley (2020, Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia, NSW), Antonio Chiappetta (2019, St Andrews College, Sydney, NSW), Scott Maxwell (2018, Grant High School, Mount Gambier, South Australia) and Renee McCarthy (2017, Woodcroft College, Adelaide South Australia). 

The Song Room CEO, Alice Gerlach, said in a statement, “For many young people a great music teacher and the opportunity to participate in music at school has the power to change their lives - to experience joy, to succeed at school, and to feel connected to their community.

“Celebrating the unique and brilliant talents of Australian music educators at the ARIAs is a highlight on The Song Room’s calendar. Teachers, parents, and students get on board and nominate your teacher. They deserve their ARIA moment.”