The announcement was made on Friday by Alex Jones and Chris Evans on BBC One's The One Show.
Denise White from Eglinton village is the founder of Something Special, a musical and creative arts group that educates almost 100 students with learning disabilities.
In a tribute video, her students described her as an "inspiration".
"Denise has helped my confidence, she's got us out singing," said Sorcha Friel.
"There are some students in here that have nothing else, coming in here makes their week, without Something Special they would have nothing to do."
Ms White is one five recipients of BBC Music Day's Unsung Hero award.
"I could see that music worked some kind of magic with young people and that it could really change things for them," she said.
The Unsung Hero award was launched as part of this year's BBC Music Day on Friday 5 June.
It is a nationwide celebration of music, aiming to bring people together across generations and communities.
The day will be reflected across BBC television and radio programmes with numerous events and concerts taking place in towns and cities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
BBC Music Day events in Northern Ireland include performances from Sir James Galway, Andrea Begley, Villagers, The Priests, The Ulster Orchestra and the Belfast Community Gospel Choir.
A County Londonderry woman who uses music to "transform the lives of people with disabilities" has been honoured with a BBC Unsung Hero award.