Matthew Jones awarded OBE in the 2026 New Year Honours

Everyone at National Youth Arts Wales is delighted that Matthew Jones, our Deputy CEO and Head of Music, has been recognised in the 2026 New Year Honours.

For the past 18 years, Matthew has led Wales's national youth ensembles including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, National Youth Choir of Wales and National Youth Brass Band of Wales. During this time, Matthew has  worked tirelessly to support music education for thousands of young people throughout Wales. He is widely recognised as a champion for young people in Wales, ensuring their interests are always at the heart of artistic policy-making.

Evan Dawson (CEO of NYAW) wrote:

“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, this is the perfect time to celebrate Matthew Jones’s many achievements and longstanding dedication. Through his work at National Youth Arts Wales, he has developed important new approaches to diversity and inclusion, ensuring the national ensembles include young people from all backgrounds and every Welsh local authority. He led the development of a bursary scheme to ensure everyone can afford to take part (the majority of ensemble members now receive financial support). He created innovative new programmes, including “Côr Skills” and “Strings Attached” to support talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to experience choral singing and strings ensembles for the first time; and “Music Futures” to support young people from under-represented backgrounds to learn collaborative song-writing and studio production skills. We are all thrilled for him.”

Several senior figures in the Welsh arts sector have expressed their support for this award, demonstrating that Matthew has had a profound impact on many thousands of young people and their families, over many years.

Tim Rhys-Evans (Director of Music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama) wrote:

"Matthew is a kind, unassuming man, but this soft exterior belies a steely determination to ensure that year on year, young musicians in Wales have the opportunity to come together and be extraordinary. These young musicians often come from backgrounds of deprivation and can arrive at one of the national ensemble courses as shy, introverted or even terrified young people. They leave feeling empowered, proud and have discovered an inner strength and capability they’d often long doubted….. On behalf of every young musician who has been given the opportunity to play, sing, dance and act for their country, we owe a huge amount to Matthew Jones, so this nomination is not only from me personally but from those thousands of National Youth Arts Wales ensemble members."

David Jackson (former Director of Cardiff Singer of the World and former Chair of National Youth Arts Wales – who sadly died in October) wrote: "I am sure it is for people like Matt, the unsung heroes, that the Honours system exists. He consistently endeavours to improve and better the lives of the young people with whom he works; he brings them opportunities and experiences they will never forget, no matter what their future lives may hold in store for them, in times that can seem challenging and even bleak for so many young people."

Dr Karen Pimbley (Head of Arts Management, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and now Chair of National Youth Arts Wales) wrote: “Matt has been instrumental in leading the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, National Youth Choir of Wales and National Youth Brass Band of Wales for the last eighteen years, but his work has also enabled him to influence and directly benefit thousands of young people as they pursue a creative outlet… His longevity in post is to be applauded, but it is his ongoing desire to enable young people to have agency whilst developing their creative skills that makes him stand out as an individual.”

Mari Lloyd-Pritchard (Director of National Music Service Wales) wrote: “National Youth Arts Wales houses the first National Youth Orchestra in the world as well as many other national ensembles such as the choir and brass band – all key ensembles reflecting the rich musical heritage of Wales. Mathew has worked tirelessly to protect, nourish, and develop these ensembles and as a result, has created a legacy of many young musicians that have been inspired and gone on to become professional musicians.”

Rhian Hutchings (CEO of Anthem: Music Fund Wales) wrote: “Matt has developed a level of expertise and respect from the sector that goes way beyond just doing a job. He has worked with international conductors, helping them to understand how to work with the young musicians they are nurturing and building strong relationships that have stood the test of time. He has developed commissions for the orchestra, bringing in established composers and also making space for new voices. He has expertly crafted the journey of the young people who undertake the Orchestra residency, shaping their experience into something unforgettable and life changing.”

David Hopkins (former Development Manager at National Youth Arts Wales) wrote: “One of his greatest achievements will be ensuring that NYAW’s bursary scheme supports anyone who needs it – in 2023, nearly half of all participants received some kind of financial support to take part, which has hugely increased the numbers of participants from lower socio-economic backgrounds…. In short, Matthew goes above and beyond to make sure that talented young musicians in Wales are given the platform to shine. His life’s work has been to support and encourage thousands of young musicians, and I know many of them, including myself, are truly grateful to him personally for the efforts he goes to.”

Gillian Green (Artistic Director of Fishguard International Music Festival) wrote: “Matthew was a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales which was formed forty years ago and he is passionate about passing on the experience of high-quality musical experiences to the youth of today. Charming and respectful of all who meet and come into contact with him, I cannot imagine a more deserving person as a recipient of recognition.”