HALIFAX, N.S. - Legendary Canadian songbird Anne Murray has presented a Nova Scotia music instructor with this year's MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award.

Scott Leonard of the Park View Education Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., teaches guitar, band and Recording Arts Technology, a class he created.

Now the fifth winner of the prize, Leonard received the honour from Murray during a ceremony in Halifax.

Leonard has mentored music students for 24 years, 21 of which he has spent at Park View.

He receives a $10,000 cash award, plus an additional $10,000 for his school's music program.

MusiCounts is a music education charity associated with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which runs the Juno Awards.