We are thrilled to announce that the founder of the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, Vivienne Price, is one of two recipients of the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence 2014, Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement award is for an individual who has made a seminal contribution to music education and Price’s life work is exemplary in this regard.

In making this award, the panel of judges said:

‘Vivienne Price’s legacy is plain to see and hear – in its 35-year history, the National Children’s Orchestras has been a beacon of aspiration, benefitting thousands of children, including many of today’s top performers. Her tireless tutelage continues to pay dividends in concert halls across the country and abroad, and her achievement in founding the organisation and ensuring its continued growth cannot be underestimated.’

On the news of receiving the award, Vivienne Price commented:

‘It has been a privilege to form part of the musical progress of so many children over 36 years. There have been many people who have helped me along the way and it has been such a comfort to know that, having passed the baton to Principal Director of Music, Roger Clarkson, the NCO is now in such capable and inspirational hands.’

Born in 1931 and trained at the Royal College of Music, Price co-founded the Fitznells School of Music, formed and trained orchestras at schools in Epsom and trained the orchestra in the preparatory division at Guildhall School of Music and Drama before forming the NCO in 1978. Price saw the need for talented children aged under 14 to have their own symphony orchestra. By 1981, so many children were applying to join that the Training Orchestra was set up for those who had just missed out.

‘There is nobody more deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award than Vivienne Price. Countless thousands of musicians are today reaping the rewards of what she introduced to them during their formative years, through vision, dedication and her understanding of what music has to offer. However, this does not apply to just practicing professional musicians, it is pertinent to anybody who has been ‘under her umbrella.’ [Peter Stark, Conductor]

Vivienne Price’s work with the NCO was acknowledged with an MBE in 1997. In the same year she was also made Hon RCM and in 2002 Hon ARAM. There could be no more deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was formerly announced at London’s Barbican Centre on February 7^th as part of the Music Education Expo 2014.