Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Awards




Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Awards

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Meet the 2022 Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award Nominees 

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announced this year’s Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award nominees in partnership with Telstra, and proudly supported by The Song Room.


This award, now in its sixth year, shines a light on the importance of music education and music teachers throughout Australia.


Three out of four Australian schools do not have a specialist music teacher, despite evidence suggesting that students’ participation in music and the Arts increases school attendance, improves learning across the curriculum, and builds student confidence and resilience. There is much work to be done to improve this situation.

This year’s exceptional music teachers are;
Jane Nicholas – Willandra Primary School, Perth, WA; David Collins White – Haberfield Public School, Haberfield, NSW; Kath Dunn – Wollondilly Public School in Goulburn, NSW; Matt Orchard – Apollo Bay College P-12, VIC.

Every year, each school is visited by a Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award ambassador to share the news of their teacher’s nomination.


This year, David Collins-White was visited by Anthony Wiggle, Jane Nicholas by Mitch Tambo, Matt Orchard by Ben Gillies with a special surprise from Jack Black, and Kath Dunn by Tsehay Wiggle.

This category is the first to be launched for the 2022 ARIA awards, with the winner to be awarded

as part of the ARIA Awards in a live event this November.


You are able to help determine the winner by voting at www.aria.com.au/vote once per day, per devcice, from now until 11:59 pm on 16 November 2022. 

The winner will join previous winners; Zoë Barry R(2021, Sacred Heart School, Fitzroy VIC) Sarah Donnelly (2020, Wilcania Central School, Wilcannia NSW), Antonio Chiappetta (2019, St Andrews College, Sydney NSW), and Scott Maxwell and (2018, Grant High School, Mount Gambier SA), Renee McCarthy (2017, Woodcroft College, Morphett Vale SA).


The Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award has become one of the ARIA award's most cherished categories as we recognise the importance of music education and our teachers to nurture the next generation of musicians and to set young people up for a brighter future. 

Annabelle Herd, CEO of ARIA, said:
“With everything going on around us in 2022 the music classroom and our music teachers are more important than ever as a place of sanctuary, comfort, learning, connection and joy for children and music students. This year, I’m so thrilled to see such a high number of nominations for passionate, dedicated and inspiring music teachers who go above and beyond for their students. The Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award is all about recognising the special people who are key in nurturing the next generation of music lovers and musicians. I want to thank Telstra for their ongoing support over the previous five years and I cannot wait for The Wiggles to announce the winning teacher at the ARIA Awards in November. To all the nominees, from the bottom of my heart thank you for all the great work you have done and continue to do.”


Genelle Sharples, Head of Sponsorship at Telstra, said:
“Our continued partnership to deliver the Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award is important to Telstra as music connects people, creates shared joy during the good times and uplifts our spirits during the challenging times. We are proud to recognise the music teachers from across the country who dedicate their experience and talent to inspire the next generation of Australian musicians.”


Alice Gerlach, CEO of The Song Room, said:
From remote communities to inner cities, we see the transformative and long-term positive effects music has on students and their schools. The Song Room is so proud to team with ARIA for the sixth year to once again bring the nation’s attention to music teachers and the inspired work they are doing around Australia.” 

About This Years Nominees

Jane Nicholas -Willandra Primary School in Perth, WA – with Mitch Tambo 

(Photo: Kelvin Chong)

Jane is music teacher at a school with over 600 students from 40 different countries with diverse cultural, linguistic and economic backgrounds. Through her music program she helps celebrate their individual identities to build greater understanding, respect and peace for each other. First Nations singer songwriter Mitch Tambo joined Jane and her students to acknowledge her achievements. Watch Janes story with ambassador Mitch Tambo here

David Collins White – Haberfield Public School, Haberfield, NSW - with Anthony “The Blue Wiggle” Field 

(Photo: Vasili Papathanasopoulos )

With over 22 year experience teaching music David understands that, ‘Music is an essential part of human development. It’s the foundation of aural skills, movement skills, abstract thinking and language development.” David has helped teachers across Australian deliver their own music programs through online resources he has created, including a popular Youtube Channel. Anthony ‘The Blue Wiggle’ Field joined him to announce his nomination. Watch David's story with ambassador Anthony Field here

Matt Orchard – Apollo Bay College P-12, VIC – with Ben Gillies 

(Photo: Harmony Rose)

Victorian Music Teacher and rocker Matty O, turned a single, rundown portable with a few elective classes, into a ‘House Of Rock’ music program that teaches students from prep through to Year 12. It's so popular students still return 20 years later to help work in the program. Ex- Silverchair drummer, Ben Gillies, visited the school to give Matt the good news. Watch Matt's video with ambassador Ben Gillies here. 

Kath Dunn – Wollondilly Public School in Goulburn, NSW - with Tsehay “The Yellow Wiggle” Hawkins 

(Photo: Rachel Cramp)

Kath was surprised by Tsehay “The Yellow Wiggle” Hawkins, the youngest member of the Wiggles who joined her to celebrate her nomination. Kath has created a school-wide, daily 10- minute beat program that engages all 300 students through regular and fun music activities. Her program gives every student, every day, the opportunity to enjoy music, grow their skills and benefit from music learning. Watch Kath's video with ambassador Tsehay Hawkins here. 

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