Katrina Marzella-Wheeler is one of four shortlistees for the 2025 RPS Inspiration Award. We are welcoming public votes to choose the winner – voting is open until 11am on Monday 3 February 2025. The winner will be announced at the RPS Awards on Thursday 6 March at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Katrina Marzella-Wheeler is breaking down barriers in her beloved brass band movement, creating opportunities for women, non-binary and underrepresented people to thrive in leadership and conducting roles. She is devoted to ensuring that brass banding is inclusive and forward-looking, through the music she conducts and programmes, the environment and culture she creates in her own bands, and the wide range of people with whom she works.
Katrina is a role model, conducting several community bands in the UK throughout 2024, including Kingdom Brass in Fife, Glasgow’s Cooperation Band, and Aldbourne Band in Wiltshire. She’s an advocate for commissioning and programming new works by women and underrepresented composers. She has recently given Scottish premieres by Liz Lane, Lucy Pankhurst and Kelly-Marie Murphy, as well as an innovative brass music theatre work with actor Elizabeth McNally. She was also central to a musical collaboration between HMS Unicorn, the Imperial War Museum, Kingdom Brass, and St Andrews University, to mark the 200th anniversary of HMS Unicorn, involving a wide range of people and children from the local community.
Katrina is equally passionate about helping non-professionals take their first steps in conducting. She believes that brass bands offer musicians the scope to embrace music as a hobby throughout their entire lives, and she organises conducting workshops for women and underrepresented individuals of all ages to foster change in brass band leadership, from grassroots to the highest levels. Recently, Katrina collaborated with the Royal Regiment of Scotland Military Band in Edinburgh for a three-day conducting workshop, for beginners and experienced conductors to gain experience, develop skills, and seek advice. She also held masterclasses and mentored young women conductors in North Yorkshire, and took part in a national discussion for Brass Bands England, using her profile and voice to create positive change.
‘Seeing Katrina’s leadership with our band was transformative. For the first time, I saw myself reflected in a top-class conductor, igniting new possibilities. Katrina's exceptional leadership and musicianship elevated our band’s performance and symbolised a powerful shift in our traditionally male-dominated world. Her tireless advocacy, through mentorship and workshops, as well as programming works from new composers, continues to empower countless women and underrepresented musicians. Katrina isn't just shaping performances; she's crafting a more equitable future for all in the brass band community, inspiring generations to come.’
Jane, cornet
‘I’m constantly inspired by Katrina's tireless work championing diversity and inclusion in the brass band world. Over the past year, her commitment to providing opportunities for women and non-binary musicians, such as mentoring young conductors and spotlighting female soloists, has been transformative. Katrina’s efforts are not just about representation – they create meaningful change, fostering talent and helping to build a more inclusive community. Her vision has profoundly impacted my band as well as the wider brass band movement. Her leadership is a beacon of progress in our evolving music landscape.’
Alan, baritone horn / brass band organiser
The RPS Inspiration Award is generously supported by Presto Music.
