Making Music is delighted to award the 2011 Sir Charles Groves Prize to Gareth Malone, choir master and TV presenter, in recognition for programmes such as The Choir: Unsung Town and The Choir: Military Wives 2011. The Prize is awarded annually to an individual or organisation for making a significant contribution to British music.
An inspirational choir master and animateur, Gareth Malone first brought his work to the television screen in the 2006 series, The Choir, in which he successfully took on the challenge of bringing music into the lives of secondary school students who had never sung before. More recently, Gareth demonstrated his belief in the power of music by training a group of military wives whose partners were away in Afghanistan, helping the women through a difficult time and working with them on a single, Wherever You Are, which became the 2011 Christmas number one.
’Gareth is a worthy recipient of this year's Prize. His inspirational TV programmes and live events have helped create the huge current interest in singing, and we are delighted to be able to offer this recognition of his influence on modern musical life.’
- Robin Osterley, Making Music Chief Executive
