Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum
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212 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced the quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes educators who have made a significant contribution and demonstrate a commitment to music education.
Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced a total of 212 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes current educators — kindergarten through college across public and private schools — who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The quarterfinalists, who hail from 197 cities, were selected from more than 2,000 initial submitted nominations. In addition to the quarterfinalists, 123 legacy applicants from 2023 will also be eligible to win the Music Educator Award this year.
Semi-finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award will be announced this September. The ultimate recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024.
A joint partnership and presentation between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.
Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The 10th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards, as well as a range of GRAMMY Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semi-finalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
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The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.
Learn more about the Music Educator Award.
See the full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:
2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD QUARTERFINALISTS
Name | School | City | State | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Casie Adams | Martinsburg High School | Martinsburg | West Virginia | |
Bruce Adams | Sam Houston High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Miguel Aguiar | Southwest High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Derek Alexander | Orville Bright Elementary School | Chicago | Illinois | |
Dawn Amthor | Wallkill Senior High School | Wallkill | New York | |
Jonathan Anderson | University High School (Volusia) | Orange City | Florida | |
Christopher Andrews | Hephzibah High School | Hephzibah | Georgia | |
Jeanne Andrews | Pauline J. Petway Elementary School | Vineland | New Jersey | |
Justin Antos | Dwight D. Eisenhower High School | Blue Island | Illinois | |
Javier Arau | New York Jazz Academy | New York | New York | |
Andrea Armour | Christian County Middle School | Hopkinsville | Kentucky | |
Timothy Arnold | Orono High School | Long Lake | Minnesota | |
Shawn Athey | Veterans Memorial High School | Corpus Christi | Texas | |
Elizabeth Baker | Mary Martin Elementary | Weatherford | Texas | |
Jeremy Bartunek | Greenbriar School | Northbrook | Illinois | |
Adem Birson | New York University | New York | New York | |
Benjamen Blasko | Lipscomb University | Nashville | Tennessee | |
Amanda Blevins | Tri-Valley High School | Dresden | Ohio | |
Susan Boddie | Valdosta State University | Valdosta | Georgia | |
Adrain Bonner | Lancaster High School | Lancaster | Texas | |
Cherie Bowe | Pascagoula High School | Pascagoula | Mississippi | |
Andrew Bowerly | Tenino High School | Tenino | Washington | |
George Bradshaw | Dover Area High School | Dover | Pennsylvania | |
Gwendolyn Brazier | Lathrop High School | Fairbanks | Alaska | |
Steve Browne | Nashville Community High School | Nashville | Illinois | |
Matthew Brusseau | Davie County High School | Mocksville | North Carolina | |
Ryan Bulgarelli | Loyalsock Township High School | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | |
Cathryn Burt | East Newton High School | Granby | Missouri | |
James Byrn, Jr. | Maconaquah High School | Bunker Hill | Indiana | |
Mary Catherine Campbell | Seven Pines Elementary | Sandston | Virginia | |
Helen Capehart | Bridgeport High School | Bridgeport | Texas | |
Marcos Carreras | Conservatory of The Arts | Springfield | Massachusetts | |
Michael "Patrick" Carte | Scott High School | Madison | West Virginia | |
Curtis Carver | Harlem High School | Harlem | Georgia | |
Roger Chagnon III | Westfield Academy and Central School | Westfield | New York | |
Kristopher Chandler | Gautier High School | Gautier | Mississippi | |
Jeff Chang | Decatur High School | Federal Way | Washington | |
Krista Clay | West Branch High School | Beloit | Ohio | |
Travis Coakley | William Carey University | Hattiesburg | Mississippi | |
Vanessa Cobb | Montgomery Central High School | Cunningham | Tennessee | |
Mark Collins | John S. Battle High School | Bristol | Virginia | |
Trish Conover | Community Middle School | Plainsboro | New Jersey | |
John Contreras | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Kyle Cook | Western Branch Middle School | Chesapeake | Virginia | |
Travis Cook | Plymouth Christian Academy | Canton | Michigan | |
Daniel Cook | University of North Texas | Denton | Texas | |
Andrew Cote | Merrimack College | North Andover | Massachusetts | |
Drew Cowell | Belleville East High School | Belleville | Illinois | |
Cory Craig | Benton Intermediate School | Benton | Louisiana | |
Matthew Cunningham | Brockton High School | Brockton | Massachusetts | |
Shannon Curtis | Zimmerman Middle High School | Zimmerman | Minnesota | |
Isaac Daniel | Stax Music Academy | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Jim Daughters | Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau | Missouri | |
Marci DeAmbrose | Lincoln Southwest High School | Lincoln | Nebraska | |
Jackie Deen | Pottsboro High School | Pottsboro | Texas | |
Matthew Denman | Classen School of Advanced Studies | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | |
Ryan Diefenderfer | Paradise Valley High School | Phoenix | Arizona | |
Jennifer DiVasto | Pennridge High School | Perkasie | Pennsylvania | |
Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez | Bronx | New York | |
George Dragoo | Stevens High School | Rapid City | South Dakota | |
Marisa Drake | Patuxent High School | Lusby | Maryland | |
Kathleen Dudley | Andrew Cooke Magnet School | Waukegan | Illinois | |
Jonathan Eising | James Hubert Blake High School | Silver Spring | Maryland | |
Jonathan Eldridge | Weston High School | Weston | Massachusetts | |
Carol Evans | Gwynedd Mercy University | Gwynedd Valley | Pennsylvania | |
Anthony Ferreira | Suffield High | West Suffield | Connecticut | |
Tamara Frazier | North Valleys High School | Reno | Nevada | |
J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee | |
Chesteron Frye | St. Helena College & Career Academy | Greensburg | Louisiana | |
Nicholas Garofalo | Chattahoochee High School | Johns Creek | Georgia | |
Matt Gerry | Salina South Middle School | Salina | Kansas | |
Anna Girling | Sebastopol Attendance Center | Sebastopol | Mississippi | |
Vivian Gonzalez | Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer | Miami | Florida | |
Johnathan Gore | Sandy Run K8 School | Swansea | South Carolina | |
Serena Gorham | Weare Middle School | Weare | New Hampshire | |
Kylie Griffin | Dozier Elementary | Erath | Louisiana | |
Jess Gronberg | Hawkes Bluff Elementary | Davie | Florida | |
Alan Guckian | Manor High School | Manor | Texas | |
Nathaniel Gunter | Greer High School | Greer | South Carolina | |
Amy Hannequin | Bethel Middle School | Bethel | Connecticut | |
Crystal Harding | Ypsilanti Community High School | Ypsilanti | Michigan | |
Diana Harrigan | Bloom High School | Chicago Heights | Illinois | |
Toye Harris | Miami High School | Miami | Oklahoma | |
Chris Hayslette | Bridgeport Middle School | Bridgeport | West Virginia | |
Colette Hebert | Ella Fitzgerald Academy | Yonkers | New York | |
Martha Heise | Seventh Street Elementary School | Oil City | Pennsylvania | |
Jonathan Helmick | Slippery Rock University | Slippery Rock | Pennsylvania | |
Corey Hermens | Grant County High School | Dry Ridge | Kentucky | |
Joel Hill | Velma Jackson High School and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School | Camden | Mississippi | |
Autumn Danielle Hodges | Clarksville- Kraus Middle School | Clarksville | Arkansas | |
Elaine Holmes | Comsewogue High School | Port Jefferson Station | New York | |
Gene Hundley | Swainsboro Middle School | Swainsboro | Georgia | |
Victor Iapalucci | Philip Barbour High School | Philippi | West Virginia | |
Devin James | Salem High School | Conyers | Georgia | |
Heidi Jaye | Daniel Webster Elementary School | New Rochelle | New York | |
Luke Johnson | Ingalls Elementary | Ingalls | Kansas | |
Jamie Jones | Manzano Day School | Albuquerque | New Mexico | |
Tyler Jones | Thompson Middle School | Alabaster | Alabama | |
Daniel Joosten | Edgerton High School | Edgerton | Wisconsin | |
Brett Keith | Northern Bedford County Middle/High School | Loysburg | Pennsylvania | |
Deonte Kennedy | Craigmont High School | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Matthew Kilby | Fort Dorchester HS | North Charleston | South Carolina | |
Lou Kitchner | Bedford Middle School | Westport | Connecticut | |
Michael Kiyoi | San Marcos High School | Santa Barbara | California | |
Kate Klotz | Monarch High School | Louisville | Colorado | |
Heidi Kohler | Clarence Middle School | Clarence | New York | |
Michael Lapomardo | Shrewsbury High School | Shrewsbury | Massachusetts | |
Michael Lee | Jericho Middle School | Jericho | New York | |
Morgan Lentino | Otter Creek Elementary | Elgin | Illinois | |
Joshua Light | Soddy-Daisy HS | Soddy-Daisy | Tennessee | |
Lisa Linde | Newton South High school | Newton | Massachusetts | |
Wes Lowe | The King's Academy | West Palm Beach | Florida | |
Cole Lundquist | Gloucester High School | Gloucester | Massachusetts | |
Robert Mamminga | St. Francis High School | Wheaton | Illinois | |
Peter Manzi | Carlsbad High School | Carlsbad | California | |
Samuel Maran | Lake High School | Millbury | Ohio | |
Jayson Martinez | Arts High School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Kevin McDonald | Wellesley High School | Wellesley | Massachusetts | |
Jill Melchitzky | Northwestern Middle School | Albion | Pennsylvania | |
Larrian Menifee | Ball High School | Galveston | Texas | |
Kimberly Mettert | East Noble Middle School | Kendallville | Indiana | |
Natalie Moore | Sullivan High School | Sullivan | Missouri | |
Mario Morales | Granbury High School | Granbury | Texas | |
Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon | |
Brian Nabors | Shelby High School | Shelby | Ohio | |
Jenny Neff | The University of the Arts | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | |
Cassandra Nelson | Mountaineer Middle | Morgantown | West Virginia | |
Trevor Nicholas | Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
Adam Nobile | Big Spring High School | Newville | Pennsylvania | |
Sam Noyce | Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School | Kearns | Utah | |
Tim O'Donnell | Ephrata High School | Ephrata | Washington | |
John Panella | Cottondale High School | Cottondale | Florida | |
James Patterson | Kingstree High School | Kingstree | South Carolina | |
Shakia Paylor | City Neighbors High School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Fernando Penaloza | Savanna High School | Anaheim | California | |
Kathy Perconti | Wayne Central High School | Ontario Center | New York | |
Jordan Peters | Dr. E Alma Flagg School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Catherine Plichta | Theatre Arts Production Company School | Bronx | New York | |
Felix Ponce | Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
David Pope | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Ohio | |
Ær Queen | Braddock Elementary School | Annandale | Virginia | |
Brian Querry | Charles A. Huston Middle School | Lower Burrell | Pennsylvania | |
Rebecca Raber | University of Mary | Bismarck | North Dakota | |
Marc Ratner | Mineola High School | Garden City Park | New York | |
Lance Rauh | Patriot Oaks Academy | St Johns | Florida | |
Hoza Redditt | MSA East Academy | St. Gabriel | Louisiana | |
Heather Rentz | St. Mark Westpark | Cleveland | Ohio | |
Aaron Rex | Mason Middle School | Mason | Ohio | |
Angela Rex | Riverside Middle School | Greer | South Carolina | |
Chris Richard | Rogers Heritage High School | Rogers | Arkansas | |
Sarah Riechers | Thurgood Marshall Elementary School | Manassas | Virginia | |
Stephanie Robertson | Ponchatoula High School | Ponchatoula | Louisiana | |
Bethany Robinson | Noblesville High School | Noblesville | Indiana | |
Keith Robinson | Jefferson Avenue Elementary | Seguin | Texas | |
Alberto Rodriguez | Mount Vernon High School | Alexandria | Virginia | |
Chad Rose | Sheridan High School | Sheridan | Wyoming | |
Stewart Rosen | Walter Reed Middle School | North Hollywood | California | |
Shawn Royer | Marian University | Indianapolis | Indiana | |
Dayshawn Russell | North Iberville Elementary | Rosedale | Louisiana | |
Hannah Ryan | University of Virginia's College at Wise | Wise | Virginia | |
Kyle Ryan | Turkey Hill School | Orange | Connecticut | |
Ashley Sands | Kennedy Secondary School | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | |
Mark Santos | Santa Ana High School | Santa Ana | California | |
Danni Schmitt | Roland Park Elementary/Middle School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois | |
Eric Schultz | Coastal Carolina University | Conway | South Carolina | |
Jessica Schwartz | Denham Springs High School | Denham Springs | Louisiana | |
Josh Settlemyre | R.J. Reynolds High School | Winston-Salem | North Carolina | |
Jason Shiuan | Saratoga High School | Saratoga | California | |
Katie Silcott | Olentangy Shanahan Middle School | Lewis Center | Ohio | |
Kerra Simmons | Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts | Fort Worth | Texas | |
Joani Slawson | Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | Melbourne | Florida | |
Timothy Patrick Sloan Sr. | Albright Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Jessie Smith | Yes Prep Public Schools | Houston | Texas | |
Cathryn Smith | Coleman High School | Coleman | Texas | |
Patrick Smith | Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School | New Haven | Connecticut | |
Tony Spano | Culver City High School | Culver City | California | |
Wes Sparkes | Eagleview Middle School | Colorado Springs | Colorado | |
Julian Spires | Meade Middle School | Fort Meade | Maryland | |
Shannon Stem | University Academy | Panama City | Florida | |
Harold Stephan | Stuyvesant High School | New York | New York | |
Cassandra Sulbaran | Braintree High School | Braintree | Massachusetts | |
Lynn Sweet | Mount Anthony Union High School | Bennington | Vermont | |
Agnes Tech | Indian Prairie Elementary School | Crystal Lake | Illinois | |
Chris Toomey | Mineola High School | Garden City Park | New York | |
Tom Torrento | Grosse Pointe North High School | Grosse Pointe Woods | Michigan | |
Jessica Torres | Elmont Memorial Jr. Sr. High School | Elmont | New York | |
Michelle Trinidad | Sacred Heart School | Bronx | New York | |
Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York | |
Jordan Tupper | Episcopal School of Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | |
Martin Urbach | Harvest Collegiate High School | New York City | New York | |
Johny Vargas | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Amy Villanova | Canyon Crest Academy | San Diego | California | |
Valerie Vinnard | Webster Elementary | Long Beach | California | |
Kenneth Walker | Ralls High School | Ralls | Texas | |
Kathy Wallace | Willard Elementary | Winchester | Indiana | |
Jennifer Walter | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | North Carolina | |
John Ware | Stovall Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Brandon Weeks | North Polk High School | Alleman | Iowa | |
Lisa Werner | St. Bruno Parish School | Dousman | Wisconsin | |
Scott Weyman | Solanco High School | Quarryville | Pennsylvania | |
Elizabeth White | Holcomb RIII | Holcomb | Missouri | |
Tyler Wigglesworth | West Covina High School | West Covina | California | |
Derrick Williams | Vista Heights Middle School | Moreno Valley | California | |
Paula Williams | The Ron Clark Academy | Atlanta | Georgia | |
Sandi Wilson | Franklin School of Innovation | Asheville | North Carolina | |
Matthew Wiltshire | Lewiston High School | Lewiston | Maine | |
Damion Womack | The Montgomery Academy | Montgomery | Alabama | |
Tammy Yi | Chapman University | Orange | California | |
Nicholas Young | Altus High School | Altus | Oklahoma | |
Jason Younts | Samuel V. Champion High School | Boerne | Texas | |
DeAnna Zecchin | Indian River High School | Dagsboro | Delaware |
2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD LEGACY APPLICANTS
Name | School | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
Phil Aguglia | Kenmore East High School | Tonawanda | New York |
Heather Akers | Central Middle School | Dover | Delaware |
Eric Allen | Western Middle School for the Arts | Louisville | Kentucky |
Calandria Allen | Zachary Community Schools | Zachary | Louisiana |
Abigail Alwin | Clague Middle School | Ann Arbor Public Schools | Michigan |
David Amos | Heritage Middle School | Painesville | Ohio |
Luke Aumann | Appleton North High School | Appleton | Wisconsin |
Elizabeth Baker | Ilima Intermediate School | Ewa Beach | Hawaiʻi |
Andre Barnes | Science Park High School | Newark | New Jersey |
Conesha Barron | Lanier High School | Jackson | Mississippi |
Lyndra Bastian | Creekside Middle School and Woodstock High School | Woodstock | Illinois |
William Bennett | Cane Bay High School | Summerville | South Carolina |
Heather Bice | Ridgeview High School | Orange Park | Florida |
Charlie Bradberry | Iowa Park High School | Iowa Park | Texas |
Justin Britt | Kingston Public Schools | Kingston | Oklahoma |
Shantavia Burchette | East Side High School | Newark | New Jersey |
John Burn | Homestead High School | Cupertino | California |
Alexander Busby | Oviedo High School | Oviedo | Florida |
Aaron Bush | Foxborough High School | Foxborough | Massachusetts |
Meg Byrne | Pleasant Valley High School | Bettendorf | Iowa |
Philip Carter | O'Fallon Township High School | O'Fallon | Illinois |
Elizabeth Carter | Snowden School | Memphis | Tennessee |
Francis Cathlina | University of Memphis | Memphis | Tennessee |
Tiffany Chiang | Mark Twain I.S. 239 | Brooklyn | New York |
Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary | Tampa | Florida |
Michael Coelho | Ipswich Middle School and Ipswich High School | Ipswich | Massachusetts |
Christine Cumberledge | Central Junior High School | Euless | Texas |
Heather Dipasquale | Todd County Middle School | Elkton | Kentucky |
Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | North Carolina |
Dominique Eade | New England Conservatory of Music | Boston | Massachusetts |
Cuauhtemoc Escobedo | Eckstein Middle School | Seattle | Washington |
Jasmine Faulkner | Polaris Expeditionary Learning School | Fort Collins | Colorado |
Daniel James Felton | Tartan High School | Oakdale | Minnesota |
Nicholas Fernandez | Bentonville Schools | Bentonville | Arkansas |
Cathryn Fowler | Health Careers High School | San Antonio | Texas |
Marisa Frank | Explore! Community School | Nashville | Tennessee |
Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
Jacob Garcia | Tennyson Middle School | Waco | Texas |
Jorge L. Garcia | Elias Herrera Middle School | Laredo | Texas |
Tina Gibson | Jefferson County Traditional Middle School | Louisville | Kentucky |
Alex Gittelman | Haverford Middle School | Havertown | Pennsylvania |
Guillermo Gonzalez | James A. Garfield High School | Los Angeles | California |
Mansa Gory | Denzel Washington School of the Arts | Mount Vernon | New York |
Deanna Grandstaff | Cecil Intermediate School | McDonald | Pennsylvania |
Amanda Hanzlik | E.O. Smith High School | Storrs | Connecticut |
Marvin Haywood | John Ehret High School | Marrero | Louisiana |
Kristin Howell | Syosset High School | Syosset | New York |
Emmanuel Hudson | Booker T. Washington High School | Shreveport | Louisiana |
Karla Hulne | Blair-Taylor Middle/High School | Blair | Wisconsin |
Mia Ibrahim | Health Opportunities High School | Bronx | New York |
Luis Ingels | Candor Elementary School | Candor | New York |
Justin Janer | Pinewood School Middle Campus | Los Altos | California |
Daryl Jessen | Dakota Valley School | North Sioux City | South Dakota |
De'Evin Johnson | Duncanville High School | Duncanville | Texas |
Amir Jones | Harvey High School | Painesville | Ohio |
Allison Kline | Blue Mountain Area School | Orwigsburg | Pennsylvania |
Kenneth Kosterman | Rockwall-Heath High School | Heath | Texas |
Joshua Krohn | Brent Elementary School | Washington | District of Columbia |
Sarah Labovitz | Arkansas State University | Jonesboro | Arkansas |
Heather Leppard | Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) | Los Angeles | California |
Hope Lewis | Charles O. Dickerson HS | Trumansburg | New York |
Meredith Lord | Burncoat High School | Worcester | Massachusetts |
Brendon Lucas | Nyack High School | Nyack | New York |
Christian Lucas | Mariners Christian School | Costa Mesa | California |
Alison McCarrey | Romig Middle School | Anchorage | Alaska |
Angie McDaniel | Forest Creek Elementary | Round Rock | Texas |
Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz | Burgess Peterson Academy | Atlanta | Georgia |
Matthew McKagan | Lindero Canyon Middle School | Agoura Hills | California |
Brian McMath | Northwest Guilford High School | Greensboro | North Carolina |
Phillip McMullen | Silver Creek Central Schools | Silver Creek | New York |
Tracy Meldrum | Verrado High School | Buckeye | Arizona |
Xochilt Melendez Munguia | Gainesville Middle School for the Arts and Sciences | Gainesville | Virginia |
Kris Milby | Greenup County High School | Greenup | Kentucky |
Dana Monteiro | Frederick Douglass Academy | New York | New York |
Shelby Montgomery | George Jenkins High School | Lakeland | Florida |
David Moore | Inspire Charter Academy | Baton Rouge | Louisiana |
Ryan Moseley | Appoquinimink High School | Middletown | Delaware |
David Moss | West Hopkins School | Nebo | Kentucky |
Deborah Muhlenbruck-Fleischer | Gunderson Middle School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Vicki Nichols | Grandview Elementary | Grandview | Texas |
Jeremy Overbeck | Century High School | Bismarck | North Dakota |
John Pachence | Penn State Abington | Abington | Pennsylvania |
Jennifer Page | Niles North High School | Skokie | Illinois |
Matthew Pitts | Robert JC Rice Elementary School | Gilbert | Arizona |
Courtney Powers | Muhammad Ali School 23 | Passaic | New Jersey |
Natalie Pratt | Brentwood High School | Brentwood | Tennessee |
William Rank | Oak Prairie Junior High School | Lockport | Illinois |
Brett Rankin | Wilde Lake High School | Columbia | Maryland |
Annie Ray | Annandale High School | Annandale | Virginia |
Tracy Resseguie | Staley High School | Kansas City | Missouri |
Giovanni Santos | La Sierra University | Riverside | California |
Ruth Schwartz | Chugiak High School and Mirror Lake Middle School | Chugiak | Alaska |
Laura Shapovalov | Walden III Middle and High School | Racine | Wisconsin |
James Sheffer | Medford Memorial Middle School and Haines Sixth Grade Center | Medford | New Jersey |
Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
Dylan Sims | York Middle School | York | South Carolina |
Thomas Slater | Chestnut Oaks Middle School | Sumter | South Carolina |
Michele Slone | Urbana Elementary and Jr. High School | Urbana | Ohio |
Tony Small | St. Vincent Pallotti Arts Academy | Laurel | Maryland |
Andrew Smith | Charlotte Central School | Charlotte | Vermont |
Wayne Splettstoeszer | Torrington High School | Torrington | Connecticut |
Elizabeth Steege | Cass High School | Racine | Wisconsin |
Lawrence Stoffel | California State University, Northridge | Los Angeles | California |
Tyler Swick | Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary | Henderson | Nevada |
Elizabeth Taylor | La Crosse Elementary School | La Crosse | Virginia |
Cami Tedoldi | Foxborough High School | Foxborough | Massachusetts |
Kylie Teston | Leonardtown High School | Leonardtown | Maryland |
Jonathan Todd | Palisades High School | Charlotte | North Carolina |
Matthew Trevino | Roan Forest Elementary | San Antonio | Texas |
Alexis True | Thomas Downey High School | Modesto | California |
Gregory Urban | Dunedin Highland Middle School | Dunedin | Florida |
Jon Usher | Hidden Springs Elementary | Moreno Valley | California |
Michael Vasquez | Charles L. Kuentz Jr. Elementary | Helotes | Texas |
Aaron Vogel | Mountain Ridge High School | Glendale | Arizona |
Bryen Warfield | Homestead High School | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio | Waukesha South High School | Waukesha | Wisconsin |
Christopher White | Hickory Ridge High School | Harrisburg | North Carolina |
Tammy White | Kiser Middle School | Greensboro | North Carolina |
Tyron Williams | New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities IV | Far Rockaway | New York |
Krista Williams | Floretta P. Carson Visual and Performing Arts Academy | Mobile | Alabama |
Kelly Winovich | Northgate Middle/Senior High School | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
Hayley Winslow | Snow Canyon Middle School | Saint George | Utah |
Ronnie Ziccardi | Avonworth | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
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Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum
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215 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2025 Music Educator Award
Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum announced a total of 215 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award. This prestigious award is given to current educators—from kindergarten through college in both public and private schools—who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who advocate for the ongoing inclusion of music education in schools. This year’s quarterfinalists hail from 202 cities and were chosen from more than 2,400 initial nominations. Additionally, 159 legacy applicants from 2024 are also eligible for this year’s award.
Semi-finalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award will be announced later this year. The ultimate recipient will be celebrated during GRAMMY Week 2025.
A collaborative effort between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award invites nominations from students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers may also nominate themselves, and those nominated are invited to complete a more detailed application.
Each year, one recipient is selected from among 10 finalists and recognized for their profound impact on students' lives. The 11th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards and participate in various GRAMMY Week events. The nine other finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, fifteen semi-finalists will be awarded a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
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The Music Educator Award program, including the honorariums and matching school grants, is supported by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation this year. Additional backing comes from the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association, which support the program through outreach to their members.
Learn more about the Music Educator Award and see the full list of the 2025 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:
QUARTERFINALISTS
Name | School | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
Bryant Adler | Alcoa Elementary School | Alcoa | Tennessee |
Patrick Aguayo | Rolling Hills Middle School | Los Gatos | California |
Chrsitopher Alberts | School Without Walls | Washington | Washington, D.C. |
Bobi-Jean Alexander | Seneca Valley Senior High School | Harmony | Pennsylvania |
Erin Althen | Westhill High School | Syracuse | New York |
Kathleen Amabile | Elk Lake Junior-Senior High School | Springville | Pennsylvania |
Michael Antmann | Freedom High School | Orlando | Florida |
Amanda Babcock | Merrimack Valley Middle School | Penacook | New Hampshire |
Eric Bable | Crestview High School | Columbiana | Ohio |
Natalie Baker | Missoula International School | Missoula | Montana |
Jean-Paul Balmat | Mission Bay High School | San Diego | California |
Russell Balusek | Edna High School | Edna | Texas |
Lee Anne Barnes | Thomas Street Elementary School | Tupelo | Mississippi |
Makynzie Barton | Elkton High School | Elkton | Maryland |
Andrew Beasley | Pearl High School | Pearl | Mississippi |
Daniel Beilman | Oak Park School | Sarasota | Florida |
Andrew Bennett | Fredonia High School | Fredonia | New York |
David Billingsley | DeLaSalle High School | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
Stephen Blanco | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Mike Bogle | Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus | Dallas | Texas |
Sarah Boline | Johns Hill Magnet School | Decatur | Illinois |
Cherie Bowe | Pascagoula High School | Pascagoula | Mississippi |
Nathan Bowman | Southeast Middle School | Salisbury | North Carolina |
Tamiko Bridges | Laurel High School | Laurel | Mississippi |
Justin Britt | Kingston Public Schools | Kingston | Oklahoma |
Korey Bruno | Westfield High School | Westfield | Massachusetts |
Richard Butler | Jack Britt High School | Fayetteville | North Carolina |
Jason Canfield | Prescott High School | Prescott | Wisconsin |
Clayton Capello | Pettus ISD | Pettus | Texas |
Dr. John Carlisle | Hannan JSHS | Ashton | West Virginia |
Taylor Cash | Albertville High School | Albertville | Alabama |
Barry Chesky | Dulaney High School | Timonium | Maryland |
Ethan Chessin | Camas High School | Camas | Washington |
Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary School | Tampa | Florida |
Donna Clark | Miguel Juarez Middle School | Waukegan | Illinois |
Jeremy Cole | Southern Middle School | Somerset | Kentucky |
James Cooney | Mayville High School | Mayville, WI | Wisconsin |
Paul Corn | Susan E. Wagner High School | Staten Island | New York |
Kevin Croxton | Oliver Springs Elementary School | Van Buren | Arkansas |
Brandon Czubachowski | Spring Valley Hall High School | Spring Valley | Illinois |
Mike D'Errico | Albright College | Reading | Pennsylvania |
Nicole Davidson | Susan E. Wiley Elementary School | Copiague | New York |
Andy Davis | Reavis High School | Burbank | Illinois |
Kelly DeHaan | Mountain Ridge High School | Herriman | Utah |
David Dehnet | Oral Roberts University | Tulsa | Oklahoma |
Joe DeLisi | Chisago Lakes High School | Lindstrom | Minnesota |
Jesse Dooley | Millbury Jr./Sr. High School | Millbury | Massachusetts |
Lawrence Dubill | Hamburg High School | Hamburg | New York |
Bridget Duffy-Ulrich | Oshkosh North High School | Oshkosh | Wisconsin |
Jared Duncan | DeKalb School of the Arts | Avondale Estates | Georgia |
Nicole Durkin | Argo Community High School | Summit | Illinois |
Kaley Eaton | Cornish College of the Arts | Seattle | Washington |
Cindy Ellis | Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer | Miami | Florida |
Clerida Eltime | WHIN Music Community Charter School | New York | New York |
Grady Emmert | Lake Buena Vista High School | Orlando | Florida |
Gerardo Escobar | Riverside Middle School | El Paso | Texas |
Regan Eudy | Central Elementary School | Albemarle | North Carolina |
Kevin Fallon | C.W. Worthington Middle School | Haslet | Texas |
Jason Falvo | Waynesburg Central Elementary | Waynesburg | Pennsylvania |
Mike Fedyszyn | Riverview Middle School | Plymouth | Wisconsin |
Daniel Ferreira | Klein Intermediate School | Houston | Texas |
Jill Fetty | Clear Falls High School | League City | Texas |
Joe Finnegan | DC Everest Senior High School | Weston | Wisconsin |
Joseph Flores | Mesa Middle School | Roswell | New Mexico |
Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
Sarah Fulton | Kings Mountain High School | Kings Mountain | North Carolina |
Stefanie Gardner | Glendale Community College | Glendale | Arizona |
Ryan Geary | Sanford High School | Sanford | Maine |
Emily Golden | East Burke High School | Connelly Springs | North Carolina |
Rob Goldman | Westwood High School | Westwood | Massachusetts |
Alex Grimm | F.J. Reitz High School | Evansville | Indiana |
Melanie Gunn | Whitman Middle School | Seattle | Washington |
Daniel Gutierrez | Nixa High School | Nixa | Missouri |
Holly Haffner | Grissom Middle School | Sterling Heights | Michigan |
Michael Hamann | West Ottawa High School | Holland | Michigan |
Tony Aaron Hambrick | Jessye Norman School of the Arts | Augusta | Georgia |
Cordara Harper | Grambling State University | Grambling | Louisiana |
Vernon Harris | Pulaski Heights Middle School | Little Rock | Arkansas |
Sarah Hart | Islander Middle School | Mercer Island | Washington |
Kellie Harvey | Fruitland Primary School | Fruitland | Maryland |
Toby Harwell | Wiseburn Middle School | Hawthorne | California |
Rachael Heffner | Brookhaven Innovation Academy | Norcross | Georgia |
Bobby Helms | Copiah-Lincoln Community College | Wesson | Mississippi |
Bernie Hendricks, Jr. | Ocoee High School | Ocoee | Florida |
Christopher Henke | Kittatinny Regional High School | Newton | New Jersey |
Brian Henson | Walnut Grove High School | Prosper | Texas |
Samuel Hjort | Mission High School | Mission | Texas |
Matt Howe | Cathedral City High School | Cathedral City | California |
Cole Hunt | Burchfield Elementary School | Oneida | Tennessee |
Andria Hyden | Bedichek Middle School | Austin | Texas |
Brandi Jason | Liberty High School | Eldersburg | Maryland |
Sonja Jewell | Loudoun Country Day School | Leesburg | Virginia |
Jennifer Jimenez | South Miami Sr. High School | Miami | Florida |
John Johnson | Boyd County High School | Ashland | Kentucky |
Amir Jones | Thomas W. Harvey High School | Painesville | Ohio |
Brian Joyce | South Jones High School | Ellisville | Mississippi |
Wimberly Kennedy | Red Bank High School | Chattanooga | Tennessee |
Larry Kennon | Troy Christian Junior High/High School | Troy | Ohio |
Joshua Krohn | Brent Elementary School | Washington | Washington, D.C. |
Erin Kronzek | Unity School | Delray Beach | Florida |
Sarah Labrie | Lexington High School | Lexington | Massachusetts |
J Alan Landers | Lakenheath High School | Apo | Armed Forces |
Eric Laprade | The College of New Jersey | Ewing | New Jersey |
Samantha Leali | Shenango Junior/Senior High School | New Castle | Pennsylvania |
Richelle Lenoir | Global Leadership Academy High School | Jacksonville | Florida |
Lindsay Linderman | Murray LaSaine Montessori School | Charleston | South Carolina |
Katanna Linn | Highlands Ranch High School | Highlands Ranch | Colorado |
Candace Love | August Boeger Middle School | San Jose | California |
Christopher Lubken | Robert Service High School | Anchorage | Alaska |
Ryan Mack | P.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, and Design Technology | Brooklyn | New York |
Rebecca MacLeod | University of Illinois Urbana Champaign | Champaign | Illinois |
Adrian Maclin | Cordova High School | Memphis | Tennessee |
Cyndi Mancini | Montour High School | McKees Rocks | Pennsylvania |
Kate Margrave | Pine Creek High School | Colorado Springs | Colorado |
Matt Martindale | Shelby County High School | Columbiana | Alabama |
Abigail Martinez | Erie Middle School | Erie | Colorado |
Kathleen McCarthy | Attleboro High School | Attleboro | Massachusetts |
Leigh Ann McClain | Griffin Middle School | The Colony | Texas |
Erin McConnell | Camillus Middle School | Camillus | New York |
Lawrence McCrobie | Valley High School | Louisville | Kentucky |
Jay McCulley | Sunset Middle School | Brentwood | Tennessee |
Angela McKenna | Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High School | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma |
Jonathan R.P. McTier III | Alief Hastings High School | Houston | Texas |
Kimberly Meader | Green Bay Preble High School | Green Bay | Wisconsin |
Jessie Mersinger | New Brunswick High School | New Brunswick | New Jersey |
Adam Mewhorter | Southmoore High School | Moore | Oklahoma |
James Minnix | Central Connecticut State University | New Britian | Connecticut |
Jake Mitchell | Hebron Middle School | Shepherdsville | Kentucky |
William J. Molineaux | The Osceola County School for the Arts | Kissimmee | Florida |
Darren Motamedy | Walter Johnson International Academy | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Jonathan Mracko | Postlethwait Middle School | Camden Wyoming | Delaware |
Curtis Mulvenon | Shawnee Mission West High School | Overland Park | Kansas |
Elizabeth Nardone | EM Stanton School | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
Michelle Nielsen | Diamond Canyon School | Anthem | Arizona |
Kelly Nieman | Alden Intermediate School | Alden | New York |
Mallory Norton | Weddington High School | Matthews | North Carolina |
Heather Orr | Montgomery High School | Montgomery | Texas |
Augustine Ortiz | Edgar Allen Poe Middle School | San Antonio | Texas |
Jeremy Overbeck | Century High School | Bismarck | North Dakota |
Andrew Pahos | John Sevier Middle School | Kingsport | Tennessee |
Lindsey Parker | Laguna Beach High School | Laguna Beach | California |
Andrew Pease | Hartwick College | Oneonta | New York |
TJ Pelanek | Underwood Public School | Underwood | Minnesota |
Justin Peterson | Middle School 67Q Louis Pasteur | Little Neck | New York |
Anthony Pickard | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School | Lithonia | Georgia |
Preston Pierce | Plano West Senior High School | Plano | Texas |
Thomas Pierre | Rosa L. Parks ES | Hyattsville | Maryland |
Chris Pierson | Chaparral High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Jonathan Powell | West End High School | Walnut Grove | Alabama |
Courtney Powers | Hoboken Charter School | Hoboken | New Jersey |
Briony Price | Gramercy Arts High School | New York City | New York |
Neal Raskin | Big Foot Union High School | Walworth | Wisconsin |
Marc Ratner | Mineola High School | Garden City Park | New York |
Tess Remy-Schumacher | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond | Oklahoma |
Stephen Rew | Raymore-Peculiar High School | Peculiar | Missouri |
Cindy Reynolds | Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School | Shawnee | Kansas |
Lou Ribar | Lenape Elementary | Ford City | Pennsylvania |
Dianna Richardson | Cleveland School of the Arts | Cleveland | Ohio |
Michael Richardson | Perry Meridian High School | Indianapolis | Indiana |
Leslie Riedel | Capital High School | Charleston | West Virginia |
Adam Robinson | Norwood High School | Norwood | Ohio |
James Robinson | Elkin High School | Elkin | North Carolina |
Nathan Rodahl | Port Angeles High School | Port Angeles | Washington |
Darren Rodgers | St. Augustine High School | New Orleans | Louisiana |
Lenae Rose | Morgan County High School | Madison | Georgia |
Stewart Rosen | Walter Reed Middle School | North Hollywood | California |
David Roth | Lakeside High School | Ashtabula | Ohio |
Seth Rowoldt | Annunciation Orthodox School | Houston | Texas |
Stefanie Sagaro | Academy for Innovative Education Charter School | Miami Springs | Florida |
Maura Saint | Blackhawk High School | Beaver Falls | Pennsylvania |
Mike Scott | Columbia Basin College | Pasco | Washington |
Kelly Seymour | Ballston Spa Middle/High School | Ballston Spa | New York |
Natalie Sheeler | Sturgis Charter Public School | Hyannis | Massachusetts |
Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
Aleshia Shouse | Christian Academy of Indiana | New Albany | Indiana |
Alex Sieira | Harrison High School | Harrison | New Jersey |
Adria Smith | Marblehead Community Charter Public School | Marblehead | Massachusetts |
Anthony Spano | Culver City High School | Culver City | California |
William Steadman | General McLane High School | Edinboro | Pennsylvania |
Mike Steep | Parkway Northeast Middle School | Creve Coeur | Missouri |
Katie Stephens | Charles D. Owen High School | Black Mountain | North Carolina |
Evelyn Stohlman | Bishop Shanahan High School | Downingtown | Pennsylvania |
Kokoe Tanaka-Suwan | Parsons Memorial & Purchase Elementary Schools | Harrison | New York |
Jameelah Taylor | Trevor Day School | New York City | New York |
Brian Teed | Wakeland High School | Frisco | Texas |
Josh Tharp | West Fairmont Middle School and Rivesville Elementary/Middle School | Fairmont | West Virginia |
Jennifer Theisen-Gray | William M. Colmer Middle School | Pascagoula | Mississippi |
Mark Thomas | Upper Perkiomen | Pennsburg | Pennsylvania |
Zachary Thomas | Ledyard High School | Ledyard | Connecticut |
Alex Underwood | Hays High School | Hays | Kansas |
Craig Uppercue | Volusia County Schools | Daytona Beach | Florida |
Lindsay Vasko | Walnut Grove High School | Prosper | Texas |
Allen Venezio | East River High School | Orlando | Florida |
Felicia Villa | Point Pleasant Borough High School | Point Pleasant | New Jersey |
James Villegas | Grossmont High School | El Cajon | California |
Rachel Waddell | Colorado State University | Fort Collins | Colorado |
Meghan Wagner | Auburn Riverside High School | Auburn | Washington |
Bryan Waites | Clements High School | Sugar Land | Texas |
Donald Walter | Northwest Guilford High School and Northwest Guilford Middle School | Greensboro | North Carolina |
Victoria Warnet | Columbus State University | Columbus | Georgia |
Christopher Weddel | Fremont High School | Fremont | Nebraska |
Elliot Weeks | Seattle Preparatory School | Seattle | Washington |
Kayla Werlin | Longmeadow High School | Longmeadow | Massachusetts |
Bryce Werntz | Oak Hill High School | Oak Hill | Ohio |
Robert West | Clark High School | Las Vegas | Nevada |
Aria Westbrook | Hawfields Middle School | Mebane | North Carolina |
Kimberly Whitehead | Sikeston High School | Sikeston | Missouri |
Jeremy Williams | Marrero Middle School | Marrero | Louisiana |
Doretha Williams | GEO Next Generation High School | Baton Rouge | Louisiana |
Kelly Winovich | Northgate Middle/Senior High School | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
Kate Wisbey | Charlottesville Catholic School | Charlottesville | Virginia |
Elise Witt | Global Village Project | Decatur | Georgia |
Scott Woodard | West Virginia State University | Institute | West Virginia |
Amber Yates | Thompson Middle School | Alabaster | Alabama |
Christopher-Rey Yraola | Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts | Los Angeles | California |
LEGACY APPLICANTS
Name | School | City | State | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bruce Adams | Sam Houston High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Casie Adams | Martinsburg High School | Martinsburg | West Virginia | |
Miguel Aguiar | Southwest High School | San Antonio | Texas | |
Dawn Amthor | Wallkill Senior High School | Wallkill | New York | |
Christopher Andrews | Hephzibah High School | Hephzibah | Georgia | |
Jeanne Andrews | Petway Elementary School | Vineland | New Jersey | |
Justin Antos | Dwight D. Eisenhower High School | Blue Island | Illinois | |
Javier Arau | New York Jazz Academy | New York | New York | |
Timothy Arnold | Orono High School | Long Lake | Minnesota | |
Elizabeth Baker | Mary Martin Elementary | Weatherford | Texas | |
Andre Barnes | Science Park High School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Jeremy Bartunek | Greenbriar School | Northbrook | Illinois | |
Adem Birson | New York University | New York | New York | |
Benjamin Blasko | Lipscomb University | Nashville | Tennessee | |
Amanda Blevins | Tri-Valley High School | Dresden | Ohio | |
Susan Boddie | Valdosta State University | Valdosta | Georgia | |
Adrian Bonner | Lancaster High School | Lancaster | Texas | |
Steve Browne | Nashville Community High School | Nashville | Illinois | |
Ryan Bulgarelli | Williamsport Area High School | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | |
Cathryn Burt | East Newton High School | Granby | Missouri | |
James Byrn, Jr. | Maconaquah High School | Bunker Hill | Indiana | |
Mary Catherine Campbell | Seven Pines Elementary School | Sandston | Virginia | |
Helen Capehart | Bridgeport High School | Bridgeport | Texas | |
Marcos Carreras | Conservatory of the Arts | Springfield | Massachusetts | |
Roger Chagnon | Westfield Academy and Central School | Westfield | New York | |
Kristopher Chandler | Gautier High School | Gautier | Mississippi | |
Jeff Chang | Decatur High School | Federal Way | Washington | |
Travis Coakley | William Carey University | Hattiesburg | Mississippi | |
Vanessa Cobb | Montgomery Central High School | Cunningham | Tennessee | |
Trish Conover | Community Middle School | Plainsboro | New Jersey | |
John Contreras | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Daniel Cook | Ithaca College | Ithaca | New York | |
Kyle Cook | Western Branch Middle School | Chesapeake | Virginia | |
Travis Cook | Plymouth Christian Academy | Canton | Michigan | |
Andrew Cote | Merrimack College | North Andover | Massachusetts | |
Drew Cowell | Belleville East High School | Belleville | Illinois | |
Cory Joy Craig | Benton Intermediate School | Benton | Louisiana | |
Matthew Cunningham | Brockton High School | Brockton | Massachusetts | |
Isaac Daniel III | Stax Music Academy | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Jackie Deen | Pottsboro High School | Pottsboro | Texas | |
Matthew Denman | Classen School of Advanced Studies | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | |
Ryan Diefenderfer | Paradise Valley High School | Phoenix | Arizona | |
Jennifer DiVasto | Pennridge School District | Perkasie | Pennsylvania | |
Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School | Bronx | New York | |
George Dragoo | Stevens High School | Rapid City | South Dakota | |
Marisa Drake | Patuxent High School | Lusby | Maryland | |
Kathleen Dudley | Andrew Cooke Magnet School | Waikegan | Illinois | |
Jonathan Eising | James Hubert Blake High School | Silver Spring | Maryland | |
Jonathan Eldridge | Weston Public Schools | Weston | Massachusetts | |
Carol Evans | Gwynedd Mercy University | Gwynedd Valley | Pennsylvania | |
Anthony Ferreira | Suffield High School | West Suffield | Connecticut | |
Tamara Frazier | North Valleys High School | Reno | Nevada | |
J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee | |
Chesteron Frye | St. Helena College & Career Academy | Denham Springs | Louisiana | |
Matt Gerry | Salina South Middle School | Salina | Kansas | |
Anna Girling | Sebastopol Attendance Center | Sebastopol | Mississippi | |
Serena Gorham | Weare Middle School | Weare | New Hampshire | |
Kylie Griffin | Dozier Elementary | Erath | Louisiana | |
Jessica Gronberg | Hawkes Bluff Elementary | Davie | Florida | |
Nathaniel Gunter | Greer High School | Greer | South Carolina | |
Amy Hannequin | Bethel Middle School | Bethel | Connecticut | |
Crystal Harding | Ypsilanti Community High School | Ypsilanti | Michigan | |
Diane Harrigan | Bloom High School | Chicago Heights | Illinois | |
Toye Harris | Miami High School | Miami | Oklahoma | |
Chris Hayslette | Bridgeport Middle School | Bridgeport | West Virginia | |
Colette Hebert | Yonkers Public Schools | Yonkers | New York | |
Martha Heise | Seventh Street School | Oil City | Pennsylvania | |
Jonathan Helmick | Slippery Rock University | Slippery Rock | Pennsylvania | |
Joel Hill | Velma Jackson High School & Shirley | Camden | Mississippi | |
Elaine Holmes | Comsewogue High School | Port Jefferson Station | New York | |
Victor Iapalucci | Phillip Barbour High School | Philippi | West Virginia | |
Devin James | Salem High School | Conyers | Georgia | |
Heidi Jaye | Daniel Webster Elementary School | New Rochelle | New York | |
Jamie Jones | Manzano Day School | Albuquerque | New Mexico | |
Daniel Joosten | Edgerton High School | Edgerton | Wisconsin | |
Brett Keith | Northern Bedford County Middle/High | Loysburg | Pennsylvania | |
Deonte Kennedy | Craigmont High School | Memphis | Tennessee | |
Lou Kitchner | Bedford Middle School | Westport | Connecticut | |
Michael Kiyoi | San Marcos High School | Santa Barbara | California | |
Kate Klotz | Monarch High School | Louisville | Colorado | |
Heidi Kohler | Ypsilanti Community High School | East Amherst | New York | |
Michael Lapomardo | Shrewsbury High School | Shrewsbury | Massachusetts | |
Morgan Lentino | Otter Creek Elementary | Elgin | Illinois | |
Lisa Linde | Newton South High School | Newton | Massachusetts | |
Cole Lundquist | Gloucester High School | Gloucester | Massachusetts | |
Marci Malone DeAmbrose | Lincoln Southwest High School | Lincoln | Nebraska | |
Bob Mamminga | St. Francis High School | Wheaton | Illinois | |
Jayson Martinez | Arts High School | Newark | New Jersey | |
Kevin McDonald | Wellesley High School | Wellesley | Massachusetts | |
Larrian Menifee | Ball High School | Galveston | Texas | |
Kim Mettert | East Noble Middle School | Kendallville | Indiana | |
Natalie Moore | Sullivan High School | Sullivan | Missouri | |
Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon | |
Brian Nabors | Shelby High School | Shelby | Ohio | |
Jenny Neff | University of the Arts | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | |
Cassandra Nelson | Mountaineer Middle School | Morgantown | West Virginia | |
Trevor Nicholas | Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
Sam Noyce | Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School | Kearns | Utah | |
Tim O’Donnell | Ephrata High School | Ephrata | Washington | |
Shakia Paylor | City Neighbors High School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Kathy Perconti | Wayne Central High School | Ontario Center | New York | |
Catherine Plichta | Theatre Arts Production Company School | Bronx | New York | |
Felix Ponce | Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School | Chicago | Illinois | |
David Pope | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Ohio | |
Brian Querry | Charles A. Huston Middle School | Lower Burrell | Pennsylvania | |
Lance Rauh | Patriot Oaks Academy | St. Johns | Florida | |
Hoza Redditt | MSA East Academy | Saint Gabriel | Louisiana | |
Heather Rentz | St. Mark School (Westpark) | Cleveland | Ohio | |
Sarah Riechers | Thurgood Marshall Elementary School | Manassas | Virginia | |
Stephanie Robertson | Ponchatoula High School | Ponchatoula | Louisiana | |
Bethany Robinson | Noblesville High School | Noblesville | Indiana | |
Keith Robinson | Jefferson Avenue Elementary | Seguin | Texas | |
Alberto Rodriguez | Mount Vernon High School | Alexandria | Virginia | |
Shawn Royer | Marian University | Indianapolis | Indiana | |
Dayshawn Russell | North Iberville Elementary and High School | Rosedale | Louisiana | |
Hannah Ryan | University of Virginia’s College at Wise | Wise | Virginia | |
Kyle Ryan | Turkey Hill School | Orange | Connecticut | |
Ashley Sands | Kennedy Secondary School | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | |
Mark Santos | Santa Ana High School | Santa Ana | California | |
Danni Schmitt | Roland Park Elementary/Middle School | Baltimore | Maryland | |
Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois | |
Eric Schultz | Coastal Carolina University | Conway | South Carolina | |
Josh Settlemyre | R.J. Reynolds High School | Winston-Salem | North Carolina | |
Jason Shiuan | Saratoga High School | Saratoga | California | |
Katie Silcott | Olentangy Shanahan Middle School | Lewis Center | Ohio | |
Thomas Slater | Sumter School District | Sumter | South Carolina | |
Joani Slawson | Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | Melbourne | Florida | |
Timothy Sloan | Albright Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Andrew Smith | Charlotte Central School | Charlotte | Vermont | |
Cathryn Smith | Coleman High School | Coleman | Texas | |
Jessie Smith | Yes Prep Public Schools | Houston | Texas | |
Patrick Smith | Cooperative Arts High School | New Haven | Connecticut | |
Tony Spano | Culver City High School | Culver City | California | |
Wes Sparkes | Eagleview Middle School | Colorado Springs | Colorado | |
Julian Spires | Meade Middle School | Fort Meade | Maryland | |
Shannon Stem | University Academy | Panama City | Florida | |
Harold Stephan | Stuyvesant High School | New York | New York | |
Cassandra Sulbarán | Braintree High School | Braintree | Massachusetts | |
Lynn Sweet | Mount Anthony Union High School | Bennington | Vermont | |
Jessica Torres | Elmont Memorial Jr/Sr High School | Elmont | New York | |
Michelle Trinidad | Sacred Heart School | Bronx | New York | |
Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York | |
Martin Urbach | Harvest Collegiate High School | New York | New York | |
Johny Vargas | Pueblo High School | Tucson | Arizona | |
Amy Villanova | Canyon Crest Academy | San Diego | California | |
Valerie Vinnard | Webster Elementary | Long Beach | California | |
Kenneth Walker | Ralls ISD | Ralls | Texas | |
Jennifer Walter | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | North Carolina | |
John Ware | Stovall Middle School | Houston | Texas | |
Brandon Weeks | North Polk High School | Alleman | Iowa | |
Lisa Werner | St. Bruno Parish School | Dousman | Wisconsin | |
Elizabeth White | Holcomb RIII | Holcomb | Missouri | |
Tyler Wigglesworth | West Covina High School | West Covina | California | |
Paula Williams | The Ron Clark Academy | Atlanta | Georgia | |
Sandi Wilson | Franklin School of Innovation | Asheville | North Carolina | |
Damion Womack | The Montgomery Academy | Montgomery | Alabama | |
Tammy Yi | Chapman University and LA Phil YOLA Program | Orange County | California | |
Jason Younts | Samuel V. Champion High School | Boerne | Texas | |
DeAnna Zecchin | Indian River High School | Dagsboro | Delaware |
Photo: Jathan Campbell
list
How Much Is A GRAMMY Worth? 7 Facts To Know About The GRAMMY Award Trophy
Here are seven facts to know about the actual cost and worth of a GRAMMY trophy, presented once a year by the Recording Academy at the GRAMMY Awards.
Since 1959, the GRAMMY Award has been music’s most coveted honor. Each year at the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY-winning and -nominated artists are recognized for their musical excellence by their peers. Their lives are forever changed — so are their career trajectories. And when you have questions about the GRAMMYs, we have answers.
Here are seven facts to know about the value of the GRAMMY trophy.
How Much Does A GRAMMY Trophy Cost To Make?
The cost to produce a GRAMMY Award trophy, including labor and materials, is nearly $800. Bob Graves, who cast the original GRAMMY mold inside his garage in 1958, passed on his legacy to John Billings, his neighbor, in 1983. Billings, also known as "The GRAMMY Man," designed the current model in use, which debuted in 1991.
How Long Does It Take To Make A GRAMMY Trophy?
Billings and his crew work on making GRAMMY trophies throughout the year. Each GRAMMY is handmade, and each GRAMMY Award trophy takes 15 hours to produce.
Where Are The GRAMMY Trophies Made?
While Los Angeles is the headquarters of the Recording Academy and the GRAMMYs, and regularly the home of the annual GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY trophies are produced at Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado, about 800 miles away from L.A.
Is The GRAMMY Award Made Of Real Gold?
GRAMMY Awards are made of a trademarked alloy called "Grammium" — a secret zinc alloy — and are plated with 24-karat gold.
How Many GRAMMY Trophies Are Made Per Year?
Approximately 600-800 GRAMMY Award trophies are produced per year. This includes both GRAMMY Awards and Latin GRAMMY Awards for the two Academies; the number of GRAMMYs manufactured each year always depends on the number of winners and Categories we award across both award shows.
Fun fact: The two GRAMMY trophies have different-colored bases. The GRAMMY Award has a black base, while the Latin GRAMMY Award has a burgundy base.
Photos: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
How Much Does A GRAMMY Weigh?
The GRAMMY trophy weighs approximately 5 pounds. The trophy's height is 9-and-a-half inches. The trophy's width is nearly 6 inches by 6 inches.
What Is The True Value Of A GRAMMY?
Winning a GRAMMY, and even just being nominated for a GRAMMY, has an immeasurable positive impact on the nominated and winning artists. It opens up new career avenues, builds global awareness of artists, and ultimately solidifies a creator’s place in history. Since the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-voted award in music, this means artists are recognized, awarded and celebrated by those in their fields and industries, ultimately making the value of a GRAMMY truly priceless and immeasurable.
In an interview featured in the 2024 GRAMMYs program book, two-time GRAMMY winner Lauren Daigle spoke of the value and impact of a GRAMMY Award. "Time has passed since I got my [first] GRAMMYs, but the rooms that I am now able to sit in, with some of the most incredible writers, producers and performers on the planet, is truly the greatest gift of all."
"Once you have that credential, it's a different certification. It definitely holds weight," two-time GRAMMY winner Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter of the Roots added. "It's a huge stamp as far as branding, businesswise, achievement-wise and in every regard. What the GRAMMY means to people, fans and artists is ever-evolving."
As Billboard explains, artists will often see significant boosts in album sales and streaming numbers after winning a GRAMMY or performing on the GRAMMY stage. This is known as the "GRAMMY Effect," an industry phenomenon in which a GRAMMY accolade directly influences the music biz and the wider popular culture.
For new artists in particular, the "GRAMMY Effect" has immensely helped rising creators reach new professional heights. Samara Joy, who won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist at the 2023 GRAMMYs, saw a 989% boost in sales and a 670% increase in on-demand streams for her album Linger Awhile, which won the GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album that same night. H.E.R., a former Best New Artist nominee, saw a massive 6,771% increase in song sales for her hit “I Can’t Breathe” on the day it won the GRAMMY for Song Of The Year at the 2021 GRAMMYs, compared to the day before, Rolling Stone reports.
Throughout the decades, past Best New Artist winners have continued to dominate the music industry and charts since taking home the GRAMMY gold — and continue to do so to this day. Recently, Best New Artist winners dominated the music industry and charts in 2023: Billie Eilish (2020 winner) sold 2 million equivalent album units, Olivia Rodrigo (2022 winner) sold 2.1 million equivalent album units, and Adele (2009 winner) sold 1.3 million equivalent album units. Elsewhere, past Best New Artist winners have gone on to star in major Hollywood blockbusters (Dua Lipa); headline arena tours and sign major brand deals (Megan Thee Stallion); become LGBTIA+ icons (Sam Smith); and reach multiplatinum status (John Legend).
Most recently, several winners, nominees and performers at the 2024 GRAMMYs saw significant bumps in U.S. streams and sales: Tracy Chapman's classic, GRAMMY-winning single "Fast Car," which she performed alongside Luke Combs, returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time since 1988, when the song was originally released, according to Billboard. Fellow icon Joni Mitchell saw her ‘60s classic “Both Sides, Now,” hit the top 10 on the Digital Song Sales chart, Billboard reports.
In addition to financial gains, artists also experience significant professional wins as a result of their GRAMMY accolades. For instance, after she won the GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album for Rapture at the 2020 GRAMMYs, Koffee signed a U.S. record deal; after his first GRAMMYs in 2014, Kendrick Lamar saw a 349% increase in his Instagram following, Billboard reports.
Visit our interactive GRAMMY Awards Journey page to learn more about the GRAMMY Awards and the voting process behind the annual ceremony.
Image courtesy of the Recording Academy
news
GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala 2024 Performers Announced: Andra Day, The War And Treaty, Ravyn Lenae, Shinedown And More Confirmed
The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum's inaugural GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala will take place Tuesday, May 21, at the Novo Theater in Los Angeles. Atlantic Records will be the first label honoree. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 27 at noon PT/3 p.m. ET.
The inaugural GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala is just ahead — and now, we know which musicians will grace the stage. Andra Day, Ravyn Lenae, Shinedown, and the War and Treaty will perform at the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum's gala, with more performers to be announced at a later date.
The Gala will take place on May 21, 2024, at the Novo Theater in Downtown Los Angeles and will be hosted by veteran CBS broadcast journalist Anthony Mason. The annual Gala will also honor a label, with the first being Atlantic Records.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 12 p.m. PT at this link. More information about the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala is available here.
The inaugural Hall Of Fame Gala will honor the 2024 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings on its 50th Anniversary, including De La Soul's 3 Feet High And Rising, Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction, Buena Vista Social Club's Buena Vista Social Club, and Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, as well as recordings by Donna Summer, Charley Pride, Wanda Jackson, Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, the Doobie Brothers, and William Bell.
The Gala will also pay tribute to iconic record label Atlantic Records, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and has over 38 recordings already inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.
"We're honored that the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have chosen Atlantic to be the first label celebrated at what promises to be an exciting annual event," said Atlantic Music Group Chairman & CEO Julie Greenwald and Atlantic Records Chairman & CEO Craig Kallman. "The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame includes many of the most groundbreaking recordings in our company's 75-year history, and it will be great to hear some of our outstanding current artists bring their unique voices to these timeless songs."
"We are thrilled to be able to recognize Atlantic Records' incomparable contribution to recorded music, including numerous Hall Of Fame inducted recordings, as our first Hall Of Fame Gala label honoree. We're looking forward to celebrating them along with this year's inducted recordings during an unforgettable evening of performances by some of today's most talented artists," says Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Museum.
The evening will include a red carpet and VIP reception on the Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum followed by a one-of-a-kind concert at the Novo Theater. This year's show will be produced by longtime Executive Producer of the GRAMMY Awards, Ken Ehrlich, along with Chantel Sausedo and Ron Basile. Musical Direction by globally renowned producer and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. The Gala is presented by City National Bank.
The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973. The inducted recordings are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts with final
ratification by the Recording Academy's National Board of Trustees.
With 10 new titles, the Hall currently totals 1,152 inducted recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. Recipients will receive an official certificate from the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.
The full list of past inducted recordings can be viewed here. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to halloffame@grammymuseum.org. And keep checking GRAMMY.com for more info about the GRAMMY Hall of Fame gala, and beyond!
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Graphic & Photos Courtesy of GRAMMY GO
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Recording Academy & Coursera Partner To Launch GRAMMY GO Online Learning Initiative
Class is in session. As part of the Recording Academy's ongoing mission to empower music's next generation, GRAMMY Go offers digital content in specializations geared to help music industry professionals grow at every stage of their career.
The Recording Academy has partnered with leading online learning platform Coursera on GRAMMY GO, a new online initiative to offer classes tailored for music creators and industry professionals.
This partnership empowers the next generation of the music community with practical, up-to-the moment digital content that provides wisdom for both emerging and established members of the industry. Continuing the Academy’s ongoing mission to serve all music people, courses cover a variety of specializations tailored to creative and professional growth.
GRAMMY GO on Coursera includes courses taught by Recording Academy members, featuring GRAMMY winners and nominees and offers real-life lessons learners can put to work right away.
Starting today, enrollment is open for GRAMMY GO’s first Coursera specialization, "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals," taught by Joey Harris, international music/marketing executive and CEO of Joey Harris Inc. The course features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam, 10-time GRAMMY nominee Janelle Monáe and three-time GRAMMY winner and the 2024 GRAMMYs Best New Artist Victoria Monét. This foundational specialization will help participants gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to build a strong brand presence and cultivate a devoted audience within the ever-changing music industry.
The partnership’s second course, launching later this summer, aims to strengthen the technological and audio skills of a music producer. "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" will be taught by Carolyn Malachi, Howard University professor and GRAMMY nominee, and will include appearances by GRAMMY winner CIRKUT, three-time GRAMMY winner Hit-Boy, artist and celebrity vocal coach Stevie Mackey, five-time GRAMMY nominee and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and 15-time GRAMMY winner Judith Sherman. Pre-enrollment for "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" opens today.
"Whether it be through a GRAMMY Museum program, GRAMMY Camp or GRAMMY U, the GRAMMY organization is committed to helping music creators flourish, and the Recording Academy is proud to introduce our newest learning platform, GRAMMY GO, in partnership with Coursera," said Panos A. Panay, President of the Recording Academy. "A creator’s growth path is ongoing and these courses have been crafted to provide learners with the essential tools to grow in their professional and creative journeys."
"We are honored to welcome GRAMMY GO, our first entertainment partner, to the Coursera community," said Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. "With these self-paced online specializations, aspiring music professionals all over the world have an incredible opportunity to learn directly from iconic artists and industry experts. Together with GRAMMY GO, we can empower tomorrow's pioneers of the music industry to explore their passion today."
GRAMMY GO also serves as the music community’s newest digital hub for career pathways and editorial content that provides industry insights for members of the industry; visit go.grammy.com for more. For information and enrollment, please visit the landing pages for "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals" and "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song."