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The 2026 Great Start Fellowship

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2026 GREAT
START FELLOWSHIP

Empowering the Next Generation of Music Educators
Yamaha Music Australia is proud to introduce a new chapter of Off To A Great Start - one that focuses not just on instruments, but on people. The 2026 Great Start Fellowship aims to support three emerging instrumental music educators, equipping them with the tools, experiences, and community they need to not only succeed, but thrive in shaping the future of music education in Australia.

Applications have closed. Meet the winners!


Christopher Retter
ACT
Meg McWilliams
QLD
Harrison Merrifield
VIC
A new evolution of Yamaha’s Off To A Great Start initiative, the Great Start Fellowship has been designed to support the growth, development, and leadership potential of early-career instrumental music educators across Australia.
The Fellowship recognises educators who are already making a meaningful impact in their schools and communities, and who show the passion, promise, and commitment to help shape the future of music education.
Each Fellow will receive 12 months of mentoring from Yamaha’s leading clinicians and educators, a three-year ABODA membership, and a fully funded place on Yamaha’s 2026 Midwest Clinic tour to the United States.
Through mentoring, professional development, and international learning opportunities, the Fellowship is designed to help these educators grow their practice, strengthen their leadership, and expand their impact within their schools and communities.

Past Grant Recipients

Music has no borders - and neither should music education.
The future of music education depends on educators who think big, collaborate generously, and lead with purpose. Around the world, great teaching is powered by connection - the exchange of ideas, the sharing of culture, and the belief that music transcends all boundaries. When educators can experience this kind of collaboration firsthand, their understanding of excellence grows, and so does their ability to inspire others.
The Great Start Fellowship gives emerging teachers the opportunity to join that conversation - here in Australia and across the world - equipping them with the tools, resources, community, and lived experiences that will help shape the next generation of Australian music education.

WHAT THE FELLOWSHIP INCLUDES

Each of the three 2026 Fellows will receive:
12 months of mentoring from Yamaha's leading clinicians and educators
3-year ABODA membership, fostering professional development and connection
Fully funded inclusion in Yamaha's 2026 Midwest Clinic Tour (USA)* - a global immersion into excellence in band and instrumental music education
*Full details are listed in the Great Start Fellowship Terms & Conditions
National recognition as a future leader in Australian Music Education

WHO SHOULD APPLY

This Fellowship is designed for early-career instrumental music educators who are passionate about teaching and excited about their future in the profession.
You might be the right fit if:
  • You've been teaching for around 3-10 years in a school, community, or other ensemble setting
  • You lead (or are beginning to lead) a band, ensemble, or instrumental music program
  • You see music education as a long-term career, not just a stepping stone
  • You're committed to refining and expanding your teaching approach and engaging in professional learning
  • You enjoy connecting with colleagues and building community
  • You have ideas, energy, and a desire to improve the future of music education in Australia
You don't need to have a perfect program or decades of experience, but you should have a genuine commitment to your students, your profession, your development as an educator, and the future of music education in Australia.

WHO IS THIS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT?

The following fictional examples illustrate the kinds of journeys, experience, and commitment that the Fellowship is designed to support.

MEET SALLY

Sally never set out to become a teacher. She studied a Bachelor of Music Performance on Clarinet simply because she loved playing - the rehearsals, the practice, the performances, the feeling of being part of something bigger. Teaching wasn't on her mind at all.
But five years ago, fresh out of a Master of Teaching, she accepted a role in a rural high school as the sole music teacher, suddenly responsible for a beginner band and the junior concert band. She quickly discovered that loving music wasn't enough - she needed to learn how to teach it.
Instead of scraping by, Sally committed fully. She completed online conducting courses, travelled long distances to attend ABODA workshops, and sought out mentors wherever she could find them.
Her effort paid off.
  • She built the entire program from 12 to nearly 50 students in just three years.
  • She writes and adapts repertoire so her mixed-ability ensemble can access and succeed with meaningful music.
  • She secured community partnerships to fund instruments when she realised many families couldn't afford rentals.
  • She now supports two feeder primary schools, helping them establish their own small instrumental programs.
  • And she continues to regularly undertake non-mandated professional development, even travelling interstate for a conducting symposium.
Sally is exactly the kind of educator this Fellowship aims to support - passionate, proactive, community-minded, and deeply committed to the future of music education.

MEET ALEX

Alex always knew they wanted to be a music educator.
As a student, Alex found a sense of belonging in the band room. Learning the saxophone didn’t just develop musical skills - it built confidence, purpose, and connection. Being part of a band program was transformative.
Alex loved everything about it: rehearsals after school, performances, band camps, the shared language of music, and the way a group of individuals could become something greater together. Outside of school, Alex was deeply involved in the local community band - and before long, began leading an ensemble within that program, gaining early experience standing in front of a group with a baton in hand.
That role felt natural. Shaping sound, guiding musicians, and building a positive group culture brought a strong sense of purpose.
With a clear goal from the outset, Alex completed a Bachelor of Music, followed by a Master of Teaching, intent on becoming a music educator and leading a band program. Along the way, Alex immersed in professional learning - attending ABODA Summer Conducting Schools, observing experienced conductors, and actively seeking feedback. The craft is taken seriously and brings genuine joy.
Alex truly enjoys score study, rehearsal preparation, and thoughtful planning, seeing them not as tasks, but as essential to teaching well and respecting students’ time and potential.
Now early in a teaching career, Alex is exactly where they hoped to be - qualified, confident, and beginning to make the impact once experienced firsthand.
Alex brings:
  • a strong musical foundation
  • a clear and intentional teaching identity
  • deep respect for band culture and rehearsal craft
  • and a long-term commitment to music education as a profession
This Fellowship would allow Alex to not only succeed, but thrive, supported by a connected community of educators who share the same values and commitment to excellence.

MEET DANIEL

Daniel always assumed his career would centre on the piano. With a Bachelor of Music on Piano and a Graduate Diploma in Education, he expected to teach classroom music, accompany ensembles, and maybe run a chamber group or two.
Instead, in his first job at a P-12 school, he found himself thrown into the deep end - assigned to direct the school band despite having no background in wind instruments.
Rather than just coping, Daniel made a decision: if he was going to do this, he was going to do it well.
Over the past seven years, he has transformed himself from a ‘pianist-with-a-baton’ into a thoughtful, confident band director.
  • He enrolled in additional music education courses, conducting workshops, and the ABODA Summer School to build real skill and understanding.
  • He shadowed an experienced conductor weekly, learning rehearsal planning, gesture, pacing, and diagnostic skills.
  • He even taught himself trumpet, flute, and clarinet, so he could better understand the physical and musical challenges his students face.
  • He designed a structured skills tracker for beginners, improving retention and helping students transition successfully into Year 8 ensembles.
  • He launched a section leader program, giving older students the confidence and tools to mentor the juniors.
  • And along the way, Daniel became a go-to collaborator for neighbouring schools, especially for other non- specialist band directors looking for guidance.
Daniel represents what the Fellowship is all about - initiative, humility, and a deep commitment to becoming the educator his students deserve.

MEET HANNAH

Hannah completed a Bachelor of Music Performance on Saxophone followed by a Master of Teaching, excited to begin her career shaping young musicians. What she didn’t expect was to land in a school with no existing band program at all - no ensembles, no routine, no tradition, no roadmap.
But instead of being overwhelmed, Hannah saw an opportunity.
In her very first year of teaching, she created the school’s first beginner band, personally recruiting 26 students by organising a student-led music expo evening that brought families and staff together.
Since then, she has become the driving force behind a growing program:
  • She established a free instrument loan system, coordinating donations, partnering with a local repair tech, and writing an equitable access policy so no student missed out.
  • She advocated successfully for timetabled ensemble periods, resulting in admin restructuring the timetable to support music learning.
  • Every month, she writes a music advocacy piece for the school newsletter, raising the profile of arts education within her community.
  • She regularly observes local community band directors on free afternoons, taking notes and asking questions to improve her own expertise.
  • And she continues to upskill through non-mandated online PD, studying conducting gestures, score preparation, rehearsal planning, and music-department culture building.
  • In just four years, Hannah has shown remarkable initiative, vision, and advocacy. She’s not only building a band program - she’s building a culture.
Hannah represents the Fellowship’s spirit: resourceful, committed, student-focused, and determined to create lasting change in her school and the wider music education community.
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