Lifetime Achievement Award
Christopher Norton was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Art of Piano Education Awards 2025.
The event was held in the Elgar Room of the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 12 May 2025, where Christopher was surrounded by family, friends and colleagues.
On receiving the award, Christopher said:
"Someone once said “to succeed, having some talent can help. But beyond that, finding people who believe in you and know how to support what you do is crucial”
Some of those people are here today, in particular Judi Harries, who introduced me to Boosey & Hawkes back in the early 80s, and both James Eggleston and Paul Hughes, currently my mentors at – you’ve guessed it – Boosey & Hawkes.
Going back a lifetime, I’d like to pay tribute to my mother, who recognised my musical talent enough to rent a piano and get me piano lessons, while being aware that there was almost no musical talent in the rest of my family.
I want to pay special tribute to New Zealand composer and teacher Rosemary Miller, who sadly passed away in 2023. Rosemary was a visionary New Zealand educator who encouraged my early efforts as a composer. George Kay, a fellow undergraduate and one of New Zealand’s leading rock critics, also deserves a name check. John Paynter at York University also deserves a mention – he recommended me to Universal Edition, my first UK publisher. Then there’s Rex Billingham, Judi’s former boss, who wanted a popular music equivalent of Mikrokosmos and created Microjazz from a set of pieces I had originally written for Universal Edition.
My three children are here and I want to pay special tribute to my first, late wife, Frances, who always supported my efforts as a composer. My present wife, Wendy, also a composer, very much does the same. And of course I want to thank the millions of students, teachers and performers who have supported and continue to support my work by buying and performing my music. Speaking of performers, the wonderful Yuki Negishi is here today - she’s a recent promoter of my growing body of concert pieces.
My musical life has been, and continues to be, a most enjoyable journey.
It is with immense gratitude to Elena and the committee that I accept this award. This recognition holds deep symbolic value. It affirms and encourages my musical direction and uplifts the music education community that I am proud to be a part of. Thank you all!"
"For over forty years, Christopher Norton has been a man on a mission to transform the landscape of learning the piano and making that process fun, rewarding, accessible and relevant.
With his pioneering Microjazz series, he brought together classical technique and popular styles in a new and groundbreaking way that resonated with students and teachers across the world – and after forty years, continues to do so with all its spin-off publications that have sold well in excess of a million copies. His original compositions and huge library of arrangements, musicals, production music and concert works have empowered generations of musicians to approach the piano with confidence, creativity, and joy."
James Eggleston
Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers
“Chris Norton’s achievement goes far beyond the global success of his music publications, which have included the million-selling Microjazz series, the Preludes…. Chris has not only inspired two generations of piano players, but has also paved the way for the best educational piano composers that have followed him. His legacy is a world filled with a greater variety of enjoyable piano music than ever before. We remain in his debt and in his shadow. Without any doubt, Chris is one of the most influential piano educators of the present age, and it will be both a privilege and a delight to honour his innovative and outstanding work with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Art of Piano Education Awards 2025.”
Andrew Eales
President of the Art of the Piano Education Awards
“For the past forty years, Chris Norton’s compositions have had an immense influence on modern piano education, and the Lifetime Achievement will celebrate his hard work, talent, and wholeheartedness. His books, especially from the Microjazz series, can be found in every piano studio in the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the list goes on! His music transcends borders and generations and inspires new generations of piano players.”
Elena Cobb
Founder of the Art of Piano Education Awards
“We are thrilled that Christopher Norton is to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at The Art of Piano Education Awards, recognising his extraordinary contributions to music education and composition. Over the course of his career, Christopher has helped shape the musical landscape, inspiring students, teachers, and performers around the globe.
His Microjazz series, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, has sold over a million copies and remains one of the most widely used educational resources. By blending popular grooves with precise notation, Microjazz makes contemporary styles accessible to learners of all backgrounds. Beyond Microjazz, Christopher’s extensive catalogue – including Preludes, The Concert Collections, American Popular Piano, Connections, and MicroMusicals – continues to enrich musical education for developing performers across a wide range of disciplines.
This award recognises Christopher’s remarkable achievements and his ongoing influence in shaping the next generation of musicians. We are proud to celebrate his continuing impact on music education worldwide.”
Paul Hughes
Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers