About Hackney Music Service Gala and Mayor’s Music Awards 2025-26
We're back at Hackney Empire for the sensational annual Music Gala and Mayor’s Music Awards 2025-26.
This year also marks the start of a year of celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of the Hackney Music Service. What better way to kick off the celebrations than showcasing the achievements of some of Hackney’s musically gifted and talented pupils and students in our schools and community? The concert features a diverse range of ensembles including bands, choirs and instrumental groups, steel pans and west African dance, and our Classical Meets Jazz diversity ensemble run in partnership with the LSO. We also see our creative jazz ensemble perform with our borough youth orchestras. The evening’s show will see 400 young people perform on stage demonstrating the high-quality music making taking place in Hackney’s schools and borough-wide ensembles.
A highlight of the Music Galais the Hackney Mayor’s Music Awards (MMA). The MMA is a fund, established in 2013 by the Mayor of Hackney to help and support aspiring young musicians to develop their musical skills and to recognise the quality of the music education offered in Hackney’s schools. Award categories include: Pupil Award for Musical Achievement; Instrument Fund for Ensemble Development; Excellence in Music Education Practice and two Geoff Taylor SEND awards.
