WHO:
A total of 25 music teachers, from 25 cities across 17 states, have been announced as semifinalists for the Music Educator Award™ presented by the Recording Academy® and GRAMMY Museum®. In total, more than 2,000 initial nominations were submitted from 50 states. Nominations for the 2025 Music Educator Award are now open at grammymusicteacher.com.
WHAT:
The 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 2024.
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. They 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 program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. 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.
The finalists will be announced in December. For more information, please visit grammymusicteacher.com.
| Name | School | City | State |
| Dawn Amthor | Wallkill Senior High School | Wallkill | New York |
| Jeremy Bartunek | Greenbriar School | Northbrook | Illinois |
| William Bennett | Cane Bay High School | Summerville | South Carolina |
| Meg Byrne | Pleasant Valley High School | Bettendorf | Iowa |
| Ernesta Chicklowski | Roosevelt Elementary | Tampa | Florida |
| Michael Coelho | Ipswich Middle and High School | Ipswich | Massachusetts |
| Drew Cowell | Belleville East High School | Belleville | Illinois |
| Marci DeAmbrose | Lincoln Southwest High School | Lincoln | Nebraska |
| Antoine Dolberry | P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez | Bronx | New York |
| Jasmine Fripp | KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School | Nashville | Tennessee |
| J.D. Frizzell | Briarcrest Christian School | Eads | Tennessee |
| Amanda Hanzlik | E.O. Smith High School | Storrs | Connecticut |
| Michael Lapomardo | Shrewsbury High School | Shrewsbury | Massachusetts |
| Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz | Rising Starr Middle School | Fayetteville | Georgia |
| Kevin McDonald | Wellesley High School | Wellesley | Massachusetts |
| Coty Raven Morris | Portland State University | Portland | Oregon |
| Trevor Nicholas | Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School | Chicago | Illinois |
| Vicki Nichols | Grandview Elementary | Grandview | Texas |
| Annie Ray | Annandale High School | Annandale | Virginia |
| Bethany Robinson | Noblesville High School | Noblesville | Indiana |
| Danni Schmitt | Roland Park Elementary / Middle School | Baltimore | Maryland |
| Kevin Schoenbach | Oswego High School | Oswego | Illinois |
| Matthew Shephard | Meridian Early College High School | Sanford | Michigan |
| Alice Tsui | New Bridges Elementary | Brooklyn | New York |
| Tammy Yi | Chapman University | Orange | California |
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.
ABOUT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
Established in 2008, the GRAMMY Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a greater understanding of the history and significance of music through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum explores and celebrates all aspects of the art form — from the technology of the recording process to the legends who’ve made lasting marks on our cultural identity. For more information, visit www.grammymuseum.org, “like” the GRAMMY Museum on Facebook, and follow @GRAMMYMuseum on Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT THE CHUCK LORRE FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation is dedicated to funding innovative and compassionate organizations in the areas of education, health, and the arts. Reflecting the values and unique experiences of the Lorre family, the foundation supports programs, services, and opportunities for those struggling with less and striving for more.
