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Inspiration Nomination for Katrina Marzella-Wheeler

Katrina Marzella-Wheeler Earns Nomination for RPS Inspiration Award

A black and white photo of RPS Inspiration Award nominee, Katrina Marzella-Wheeler conduction with baton in hand.

An early Christmas present arrived this month for internationally renowned musician and musical director Katrina Marzella-Wheeler in the form of a nomination for a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award.

Let’s take a look at the work she has undertaken that has earned her this nomination and how you can support one of our own to win such a prestigious title.

What are the RPS Awards?

The Royal Philharmonic Society Awards were created to celebrate individuals, groups and initiatives that have made a significant impact within the world of both amateur and professional music. Described by the Sunday Times, as ‘the biggest night in UK classical music’, the RPS offers awards for the following categories:

Chamber-scale Composition - outstandingly imaginative and engaging chamber-scale work
Conductor
Ensemble
Impact
Instrumentalist
Large-scale composition
Opera and Musical Theatre
Series and Events
Singer
Storytelling
Young artist
Gamechanger
Inspiration

The 2025 RPS Inspiration Award seeks to recognise the achievements of individuals and groups within non-professional settings. This award is a recent addition to the award categories that was won by another member of the brass band community, Derwent Brass in 2024. Katrina’s nomination is the only one of the four in this category that is an individual nomination, rather than a nomination for a group, which is a feat in and of itself and testament to the impact of her efforts.

Katrina Inspires a More Inclusive Future For Brass Bands

Katrina’s nomination has come about thanks to her initiatives to break down barriers within the brass band movement by creating more opportunities for women, non-binary, and underrepresented people to enter leadership and conducting roles. Her work also includes supporting non-professional musicians to take their first steps into conducting.

So far, her initiatives include:

Fostering an inclusive culture within her own bands and projects
Commissioning and programming new works by women and underrepresented composers
Organising conducting workshops for women and underrepresented individuals
Masterclasses and mentoring young female conductors in North Yorkshire
Contributing to a national discussion for Brass Bands England; using her profile and voice to create positive change