A total of 10 music teachers have been announced as finalists for the 2023 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. The finalists, who come from 10 cities across eight states, were selected from more than 1,205 initial nominations, which were submitted from 47 states. Semifinalists were announced in October and quarterfinalists were announced in June.
The annual Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2023, which takes place ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards.
Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The final honoree will receive a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school's music program. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
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. Nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.
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.
Nominations for the 2024 Music Educator Award are now open.
Learn more about the Music Educator Award.
See the full list of the 2023 Music Educator Award finalists below:
| Name | School Name | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Aguglia | Kenmore East High School | Tonawanda | New York |
| Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary | Tampa | Florida |
| Pamela Dawson | DeSoto High School | DeSoto | Texas |
| Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School | Bronx | New York |
| Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. | Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | North Carolina |
| Marisa Frank | Explore! Community School | Nashville | Tennessee |
| Trevor Nicholas | Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois |
| Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
| Tony Small | Pallotti Arts Academy | Laurel | Maryland |
| Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York |
5 Music Teachers Share The Transformative Power Of Music Education