#NewYorkNotes @RecordingAcad 202 QUARTERFINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2027 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD™ PRESENTED BY THE RECORDING ACADEMY® AND GRAMMY MUSEUM®
RECIPIENT, FINALISTS AND SEMI-FINALISTS TO RECEIVE CASH HONORARIUMS
The Music Educator Award™ was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college and 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. In a partnership and presentation by the Recording Academy® and Grammy Museum®, the recipient will be recognized during Grammy® Week 2027.
The 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 13th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2027 Grammy Awards® and 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. 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.
A total of 202 music teachers from 177 cities and 36 states have been announced as quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum. In total, over 2,100 initial nominations were submitted. In addition to our quarterfinalists, 187 legacy applicants from 2026 will also be eligible to win the award this year. View the full list of quarterfinalists and legacy applicants here.
QUARTERFINALISTS
Name School
City
State
Casie Adams
Martinsburg High School
Martinsburg
West Virginia
Tyler Adel
Paramus High School
Paramus
New Jersey
John Aguilar
Arlington High School
Arlington
Washington
Christopher Alberts
School Without Walls
Washington
Maryland
Michael Alfieri
United Charter High School Advanced Math & Science
Bronx
New York
James Allder
Greenbrier East High School
Lewisburg
West Virginia
Erin Althen
Westhill High School
Syracuse
New York
Justin Anderson
McNeil High School
Austin
Texas
Christopher Andrews
Hephzibah High School
Hephzibah
Georgia
Michael Antmann
Freedom High School
Orlando
Florida
Michael Baker
Palmetto High School
Williamston
South Carolina
Daniel Balkema
Pilot Point HS
Pilot Point
Texas
Thomas Bankert
Wakefield Memorial High School
Wakefield
Massachusetts
Cory Barnfield
Norton Commons Elementary
Prospect
Kentucky
Deanna Bell
Vestavia Hills Elementary East
Vestavia Hills
Alabama
Michael Benge
Helix Charter High School
La Mesa
California
Connor Bentley
Pontiac High School
Pontiac
Michigan
Adem Birson
New York University
New York
New York
Nina Bishop
Brookline High School
Brookline
Massachusetts
Andrew Boland
J. Sterling Morton West High School
Berwyn
Illinois
Brandon Booth
ConneXions: A Community Based Arts School
Baltimore
Maryland
Lynnette Boschulte
Forest Oak Middle School
Gaithersburg
Maryland
Patrick Bowen
Las Vegas Academy of The Arts
Las Vegas
Nevada
Andrew Bowerly
Tenino High School
Tenino
Washington
Ryan Bulgarelli
Williamsport Area High School
Williamsport
Pennsylvania
Dr. Walter Busse
Miami Beach Senior High School
Miami Beach
Florida
Gene Butler
Smiths Station High School
Smiths Station
Alabama
David Cardona
Coral Springs Charter School
Coral Springs
Florida
Tammy Carley
Denmark School District
Denmark
Wisconsin
Christopher Carr
Carrollton High School
Carrollton
Georgia
Marcos Carreras
Conservatory of The Arts
Springfield
Massachusetts
Curtis Carver
Harlem High School
Harlem
Georgia
Louise Chernosky
Bard High School Early College
Newark
New Jersey
Ernesta Chicklowski
Roosevelt Elementary School
Tampa
Florida
Kaylene Clark
Mclane High School
Fresno
California
Ashley Cobb
Catawba Trail Elementary School
Elgin
South Carolina
David Colella
Girard High School
Girard
Ohio
Theresa Crombach
Corinth Central School District
Corinth
New York
Ashley Deane
Queen Creek High School
Queen Creek
Arizona
Brittany DelSignore
Berkeley High School
Moncks Corner
South Carolina
Jack Eaddy
University of Georgia
Athens
Georgia
Lesley Earles
Edison High School
Minneapolis
Minnesota
Jonathan Eldridge
Weston High School
Weston
Massachusetts
Stephen Elford
Bayless High School
Saint Louis
Missouri
Brandon Ellsworth
North Salinas High School
Salinas
California
Gracie Elswick
Salisbury Middle School
Salisbury
Maryland
Micah Erickson
Lake Linden Hubbell High School
Lake Linden
Michigan
Andreas Farmakalidis
Calabash Elementary
Los Angeles
California
Victor Figueroa
Lehman High School
Kyle
Texas
Zachary Foster
Dickinson High School
Dickinson
Texas
Rick Fowler
Creekside High School
Saint Johns
Florida
Natalie Frakes
Niles West High School
Skokie
Illinois
Bridgette Franks
Carl Sandburg Middle School
Levittown
Pennsylvania
J.D. Frizzell
Briarcrest Christian School
Eads
Tennessee
Chesteron Frye
South Pike High School
Magnolia
Mississippi
Carol Gacesa
Weisenberg Elementary School
New Tripoli
Pennsylvania
Gregory Gatewood
Milby High School
Houston
Texas
Guillermo Gonzalez
James A Garfield High School
Los Angeles
California
Serena Gorham
Weare Middle School
Weare
New Hampshire
Jess Gronberg
Hawkes Bluff Elementary
Davie
Florida
Jason Groon
Harrisburg High School
Harrisburg
South Dakota
Marissa Guarriello
University of Texas Austin
Austin
Texas
Angela Guira
Bartow High School
Bartow
Florida
Adam Gumble
West Chester University
West Chester
Pennsylvania
Carolyn Hankins
Page Middle School
Franklin
Tennessee
Cordara Harper
Grambling State University
Grambling
Louisiana
Sky Harris
Liverpool High School
Liverpool
New York
Colin Harte
Bard High School Early College Bronx
Bronx
New York
Anthony Harvey
Kipp Scholar Academy
Los Angeles
California
Jessica Harvey
John F. Kennedy High School
New Orleans
Louisiana
Roland Hatcher
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Lincolnshire
Illinois
Colette Hebert
School 23
Yonkers
New York
Bobby Helms
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Wesson
Mississippi
Matt Heritage
Innovation High School
Spokane
Washington
John Hermanson
Fort Collins High School
Fort Collins
Colorado
Mike Hernandez
Franklin High School
El Paso
Texas
Preston Huber
TREE Academy
West Hollywood
California
Christopher Hughes
Betty H. Fairfax High School
Laveen
Arizona
Natalie Humble
Henryville Jr/Sr High School
Henryville
Indiana
Beth Hurley
Northwest Guilford Middle School
Greensboro
North Carolina
Andrew Hutchens
Benedict College
Columbia
South Carolina
Andria Hyden
Bedichek Middle School
Austin
Texas
Avious Jackson
William Mason High School
Mason
Ohio
Devin R. James
Salem High School
Conyers
Georgia
Aaron Jaramillo
Cherokee Trail High School
Aurora
Colorado
Jason Johnson
Pike County Central High School
Pikeville
Kentucky
Esau Jones
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Liam Keller
Chatham High School
Chatham
New Jersey
Larry Kennon
Troy Christian Schools
Troy
Ohio
Min Sang Kim
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville
Tennessee
Dorina Kingston
Homer J. Morris Middle School
McAllen
Texas
Jee-Yeoun Ko
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans
Louisiana
Heidi Kohler
Clarence Middle School
Clarence
New York
Sarah Labrie
Lexington High School
Lexington
Massachusetts
Rachel Lake
Ilwaco High School
Ilwaco
Washington
Frankie Lancaster
Watauga High School
Boone
North Carolina
Dominique Lane
Crisp County High School
Cordele
Georgia
Erik Leung
Oregon State University
Corvallis
Oregon
Jerron Liddell
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff
Arkansas
Josh Lisner
Edison High School
Edison
New Jersey
Ryan Mack
P.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, and Design Technology
Brooklyn
New York
JJ Magallon
Damien High School
La Verne
California
Stefano Marchese
Eliot K-8 Innovation School
Boston
Massachusetts
Stephany Marilley
Vestal Middle School
Vestal
New York
Alvin Martinez
Holmes High School
San Antonio
Texas
Jennifer Martinez
Pittsburg High School
Pittsburg
California
Jesus Martinez
South Grand Prairie High School
Grand Prairie
Texas
Travis Mason
Renaissance charter school at Crownpoint
Ocoee
Florida
Erik Mason
Buford High School
Buford
Georgia
Rachel Maxwell
Traughber Junior High School
Oswego
Illinois
Anthony Mazzocchi
Kaufman Music Center/Special Music School M859
New York
New York
Michael McCabe
Lake Highland Preparatory School
Orlando
Florida
Leigh Ann McClain
Griffin Middle School
The Colony
Texas
Lawrence McCrobie
Valley High School
Louisville
Kentucky
Gary McCullum Jr
Hattiesburg High School
Hattiesburg
Mississippi
Brittany McFall
Centralia Junior High School
Centralia
Illinois
Angela McKenna
Classen School of Advanced Studies @ Northeast High School
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
Margaret McKenna
Boston Latin School
Boston
Massachusetts
Laurie Meyers
Minneapolis South High School
Minneapolis
Minnesota
Michael Miguez
NSU University School
Davie
Florida
Eddie Milledge
Calibre Academy Surprise
Surprise
Arizona
William Molineaux
The Osceola County School for the Arts
Kissimmee
Florida
Amrutha Murthy
Park Vista High School
Lake Worth
Florida
Joseph Nassar
St. Amant High School
St. Amant
Louisiana
Brandi Neal
University High School
Orange City
Florida
Andrew Nemeth
Penn High School
Mishawaka
Indiana
Dr. Phong Nguyen
Vel Phillips Middle School
Oshkosh
Wisconsin
Phuong Nguyen
Boltz Middle School
Fort Collins
Colorado
Heather Orr
Texas A&M University
College Station
Texas
Michele Paynter Paise
Morehead State University
Morehead
Kentucky
Lindsey Parker
Laguna Beach High School
Laguna Beach
California
Kelly Parra
PS/IS266Q
Bellerose
New York
Michael Parsons
Briarcrest Christian School
Eads
Tennessee
Natasha Pasternak
Orange County School of the Arts
Santa Ana
California
Erika Pierce
Chartiers Valley Middle School
Bridgeville
Pennsylvania
Chantae Pittman
Campbell High School
Smyrna
Georgia
Alan Posner
Bloomfield Hills High School
Bloomfield Hills
Michigan
Courtney Powers
Hoboken Charter School
Hoboken
New Jersey
Johnny Powers
West Florence High School
Florence
South Carolina
Briony Price
Gramercy Arts High School
New York
New York
Francisco Quixtan
Jule F. Sumner High School
Riverview
Florida
Mario Raven
Vista Charter Middle School
Los Angeles
California
Amy Reber
Lake Oconee Academy
Greensboro
Georgia
Dr. Shannon Redburn
Pembroke Hill School
Kansas City
Missouri
Ryan Rimington
Neuqua Valley High School
Naperville
Illinois
Christian Robinson
The Berkeley Carroll School
Brooklyn
New York
Brandon Rockstroh
Green Bay Southwest High School
Green Bay
Wisconsin
Nathan Rodahl
Port Angeles High School
Port Angeles
Washington
Alberto Rodriguez
Mount Vernon High School
Alexandria
Virginia
Jimmie Rogers
Moorpark High School
Moorpark
California
Ryan Rosete
Hanover Junior Senior High School
Colorado Springs
Colorado
Tarik Rowland
Tri-Cities High School
East Point
Georgia
Edgar Rubio
Gulliver Prep School
Coral Gables
Florida
Emily Saenz
Benbrook Middle-High School
Fort Worth
Texas
Rebecca Saltzman
Simsbury High School
Simsbury
Connecticut
Anthony Santanastaso
George W. Hewlett High School
Hewlett
New York
Jordyn Satterfield
Quioccasin Middle School
Richmond
Virginia
Eric Schultz
Coastal Carolina University
Conway
South Carolina
Christopher Scinto
Paradise Valley Community College
Phoenix
Arizona
Mike Scott
Columbia Basin College
Pasco
Washington
John Seaton
Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
Las Vegas
Nevada
Jared Sene
Nampa High School
Nampa
Idaho
Daniel Shafer
Saint Stephen's Episcopal School
Bradenton
Florida
Cameron R. Siegal, Ph.D.
George H. Potter School
Dartmouth
Massachusetts
Katie Silcott
Olentangy Shanahan Middle School
Lewis Center
Ohio
Dylan Sims
Gold Hill Middle School
Fort Mill
South Carolina
Jayne Skoog
Talent Unlimited High School
New York
New York
Adria Smith
Marblehead Community Charter Public School
Marblehead
Massachusetts
Donna Smith
Hueytown High School
Hueytown
Alabama
Jason Smith
Wahoo Public Schools
Wahoo
Nebraska
Jessie Smith
Gruver ISD
Gruver
Texas
Kayla Smith
Lawrence Central High School
Indianapolis
Indiana
Katie Solomon
Old Bonhomme Elementary School
Saint Louis
Missouri
Tony Spano
Culver City High School
Culver City
California
Louis Syrovy
Legacy High School
North Las Vegas
Nevada
Sabrina Terry
Southwest Middle School
Lakeland
Florida
Jennifer Theisen-Gray
William M. Colmer Middle School
Pascagoula
Mississippi
Mark-Anthony Thomas
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
New Orleans
Louisiana
Arthur Thovmasian
Longmeadow High School
Longmeadow
Massachusetts
Brian Timmons
Bergenfield High School
Bergenfield
New Jersey
Lyndra Tingley
Woodstock High School
Woodstock
Illinois
Matthew Tiramani
MS54 Booker T. Washington
New York
New York
Mario Torres
Johnston STEM Academy
North Las Vegas
Nevada
Emily Valle
Geneva High School
Geneva
Ohio
Miriam Vazquez
Duane D. Keller Middle School
Las Vegas
Nevada
Emily Vite
Columbia High School
Maplewood
New Jersey
Jeff Vyhlidal
Grand Island Northwest
Grand Island
Nebraska
Dr. Karen Waddell
Nansemond River High School
Suffolk
Virginia
Donald Walter
Northwest Guilford High School
Greensboro
North Carolina
Antwuan Walters
Heights High School
Houston
Texas
Riley Warren
Forney High School
Forney
Texas
Montana Webb
Mountain Home High School
Mountain Home
Idaho
Christopher Weddel
Fremont High School
Fremont
Nebraska
Lisa Werner
St. Bruno Parish School
Dousman
Wisconsin
Krystal Williams
Suitland High School
District Heights
Maryland
Jesse G. Williams, Jr.
Gunston Middle School
Arlington
Virginia
Kelly Winovich
Northgate Middle/High School
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
Jason Womack
Dueitt Middle School
Spring
Texas
Scott Woodard
West Virginia State University
Institute
West Virginia
Cameron Yassaman
Grover Cleveland Charter High School
Reseda
California
Jenna Young
Somerset Berkley Regional High School
Somerset
Massachusetts
Nathan Zamora Hendrickson High School
Pflugerville Texas
WHEN:
The semi-finalists will be announced in September. For more information, please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.
ABOUT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
The Grammy Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.
For more information, visit www.grammymuseum.org, “like” the Grammy Museum on Facebook, and follow @GrammyMuseum on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the Grammy Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the Grammy Awards® — music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the Grammy Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit Grammy.com and RecordingAcademy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the Recording Academy’s social communities on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and X. For media assets, please visit the Recording Academy Press Room.
