Professor Martin Fautley receives ISM Distinguished Musician Award

The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) has today announced that it has awarded its Distinguished Musician Award (DMA) to music education specialist Professor Martin Fautley in recognition of his ‘outstanding contribution to musical life in the UK’. Professor Fautley was given the award at a ceremony hosted at London’s Wigmore Hall.  

Having begun his career teaching music in the secondary school classroom, Professor Fautley then moved on to research into music education, taking on a full-time doctoral research post in education and music at Cambridge University. His 2010 project ‘Listen Imagine Compose’ led to the creation of Continuing Professional Development for secondary music teachers.

Presenting the award, ISM president Nicky Spence OBE said, ‘Professor Martin Fautley has been at the forefront of music education in the UK, and it is with great pleasure that I present this award to him on behalf of the ISM Council. We must encourage and inspire young people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and all areas of the UK to participate in music making. Teachers should be given the necessary tools to ensure they can provide high quality music education to all. We must not waste precious musical talent.’ 

As well as writing educational handbook Assessment in Music Education, Fautley is the co-editor of the British Journal of Music Education and has co-authored the ISM Trust’s National Curriculum for Music frameworks for primary and key stage 3 music. He joins a long legacy of music industry members who have been awarded the DMA, including Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Nicola Benedetti CBE, Errollyn Wallen CBE, Dame Sarah Connolly, Sir David Willcocks, Sir Michael Tippett, Jacqueline du Pré OBE, and Sir Charles Groves. 

Professor Fautley said, ‘I am thrilled to have been awarded the Distinguished Musician Award. Being in the company of some of the UK's most notable musicians is an honour. I have always strongly advocated for music education, most notably in the area of musical progression for students and in supporting music assessment within schools. I am grateful to receive an award for recognition of my contribution to UK music education.'