2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award^TM Quarterfinalists Who Are NAfME Members

103 of the 2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award^TM Quarterfinalists Are NAfME Members

The Music Educator Award Is Presented by The Recording Academy^® and the GRAMMY Museum^®

The Recording Academy® and GRAMMY Museum^® has announced 202 quarterfinalists for the 2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award™, and of that number, 103 are currently members of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME)*. Nominations from 177 cities and 36 states were submitted. In addition to the quarterfinalists, 187 legacy applicants from 2026 will also be eligible to win the award this year, and of that number, 94 are currently members of NAfME*. In total, more than 2,100 initial nominations were submitted. NAfME congratulates these noteworthy, dedicated music educators.

The Music Educator Award recognizes 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. The 14th annual honoree will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2027, which takes place ahead of the 2027 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 69th GRAMMY Awards.

The fourteenth honoree will also be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 69th 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. Additionally, 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. The National Association for Music Education supports this program through outreach to music education supporters, along with the American Choral Directors Association, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association.

Semifinalists will be announced in September.

Eleven of the previous twelve GRAMMY Music Educator honorees, Kent Knappenberger, Jared Cassedy, Phillip Riggs, Keith Hancock, Melissa Salguero, Jeffery Redding, Mickey Smith Jr., Pamela Dawson, Annie Ray, Adrian Maclin, and Jennifer Jimenez—the 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award recipient—are NAfME members. The 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award recipient is Jeffrey Murdock, associate professor of music at the University of Arkansas, and the 2022 GRAMMY Music Educator Award recipient is Stephen Cox, band director at Eastland High School in Eastland, Texas.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award process.

Below is a list of NAfME members who have been named quarterfinalists for the 2027 Music Educator Award. Read the full list of 202 quarterfinalists and 187 legacy applicants.

2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award Quarterfinalists who are NAfME members

Deanna Bell, Vestavia Hills Elementary East, Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Donna Smith, Hueytown High School, Hueytown, Alabama

Gene Butler, Smiths Station High School, Smiths Station, Alabama

Ashley Deane, Queen Creek High School, Queen Creek, Arizona

Brandon Ellsworth, North Salinas High School, Salinas, California

JJ Magallon, Damien High School, La Verne, California

Aaron Jaramillo, Cherokee Trail High School, Aurora, Colorado

John Hermanson, Fort Collins High School, Fort Collins, Colorado

Phuong Nguyen, Boltz Middle School, Fort Collins, Colorado

Rebecca Saltzman, Simsbury High School, Simsbury, Connecticut

Amrutha Murthy, Park Vista High School, Lake Worth, Florida

Angela Guira, Bartow High School, Bartow, Florida

Brandi Neal, University High School, Orange City, Florida

Daniel Shafer, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School, Bradenton, Florida

David Cardona, Coral Springs Charter School, Coral Springs, Florida

Dr. Walter Busse, Miami Beach Senior High School, Miami Beach, Florida

Edgar Rubio, Gulliver Prep School, Coral Gables, Florida

Ernesta Chicklowski, Roosevelt Elementary School, Tampa, Florida

Francisco Quixtan, Jule F. Sumner High School, Riverview, Florida

Jess Gronberg, Hawkes Bluff Elementary, Davie, Florida

Michael Antmann, Freedom High School, Orlando, Florida

Michael McCabe, Lake Highland Preparatory School, Orlando, Florida

Michael Miguez, NSU University School, Davie, Florida

Rick Fowler, Creekside High School, Saint Johns, Florida

Sabrina Terry, Southwest Middle School, Lakeland, Florida

Travis Mason, Renaissance charter school at Crownpoint, Ocoee, Florida

William Molineaux, The Osceola County School for the Arts, Kissimmee, Florida

Amy Reber, Lake Oconee Academy, Greensboro, Georgia

Chantae Pittman, Campbell High School, Smyrna, Georgia

Christopher Carr, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Georgia

Curtis Carver, Harlem High School, Harlem, Georgia

Dominique Lane, Crisp County High School, Cordele, Georgia

Erik Mason, Buford High School, Buford, Georgia

Jack Eaddy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Tarik Rowland, Tri-Cities High School, East Point, Georgia

Jared Sene, Nampa High School, Nampa, Idaho

Montana Webb, Mountain Home High School, Mountain Home, Idaho

Brittany McFall, Centralia Junior High School, Centralia, Illinois

Jason Johnson, Pike County Central High School, Pikeville, Kentucky

Lawrence McCrobie, Valley High School, Louisville, Kentucky

Michele Paynter Paise, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky

Cordara Harper, Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana

Joseph Nassar, St. Amant High School, St. Amant, Louisiana

Brandon Booth, ConneXions: A Community Based Arts School, Baltimore, Maryland

Krystal Williams, Suitland High School, District Heights, Maryland

Adria Smith, Marblehead Community Charter Public School, Marblehead, Massachusetts

Arthur Thovmasian, Longmeadow High School, Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Cameron R. Siegal, Ph.D., George H. Potter School, Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Jenna Young, Somerset Berkley Regional High School, Somerset, Massachusetts

Jonathan Eldridge, Weston High School, Weston, Massachusetts

Margaret McKenna, Boston Latin School, Boston, Massachusetts

Nina Bishop, Brookline High School, Brookline, Massachusetts

Sarah Labrie, Lexington High School, Lexington, Massachusetts

Stefano Marchese, Eliot K-8 Innovation School, Boston, Massachusetts

Thomas Bankert, Wakefield Memorial High School, Wakefield, Massachusetts

Laurie Meyers, Minneapolis South High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bobby Helms, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Wesson, Mississippi

Stephen Elford, Bayless High School, Saint Louis, Missouri

Christopher Weddel, Fremont High School, Fremont, Nebraska

Jeff Vyhlidal, Grand Island Northwest, Grand Island, Nebraska

John Seaton, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, Las Vegas, Nevada

Louis Syrovy, Legacy High School, North Las Vegas, Nevada

Miriam Vazquez, Duane D. Keller Middle School, Las Vegas, Nevada

Patrick Bowen, Las Vegas Academy of The Arts, Las Vegas, Nevada

Serena Gorham, Weare Middle School, Weare, New Hampshire

Brian Timmons, Bergenfield High School, Bergenfield, New Jersey

Liam Keller, Chatham High School, Chatham, New Jersey

Tyler Adel, Paramus High School, Paramus, New Jersey

Anthony Santanastaso, George W. Hewlett High School, Hewlett, New York

Erin Althen, Westhill High School, Syracuse, New York

Jayne Skoog, Talent Unlimited High School, New York, New York

Stephany Marilley, Vestal Middle School, Vestal, New York

Theresa Crombach, Corinth Central School District, Corinth, New York

Beth Hurley, Northwest Guilford Middle School, Greensboro, North Carolina

Donald Walter, Northwest Guilford High School, Greensboro, North Carolina

Frankie Lancaster, Watauga High School, Boone, North Carolina

Avious Jackson, William Mason High School, Mason, Ohio

David Colella, Girard High School, Girard, Ohio

Emily Valle, Geneva High School, Geneva, Ohio

Larry Kennon, Troy Christian Schools, Troy, Ohio

Angela McKenna, Classen School of Advanced Studies @ Northeast High School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Bridgette Franks, Carl Sandburg Middle School, Levittown, Pennsylvania

Erika Pierce, Chartiers Valley Middle School, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

Ryan Bulgarelli, Williamsport Area High School, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Andrew Hutchens, Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina

Ashley Cobb, Catawba Trail Elementary School, Elgin, South Carolina

Brittany DelSignore, Berkeley High School, Moncks Corner, South Carolina

Dylan Sims, Gold Hill Middle School, Fort Mill, South Carolina

Johnny Powers, West Florence High School, Florence, South Carolina

Michael Baker, Palmetto High School, Williamston, South Carolina

Jason Groon, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, South Dakota

Emily Saenz, Benbrook Middle-High School, Fort Worth, Texas

Marissa Guarriello, University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas

Alberto Rodriguez, Mount Vernon High School, Alexandria, Virginia

Dr. Karen Waddell, Nansemond River High School, Suffolk, Virginia

Jesse G. Williams, Jr., Gunston Middle School, Arlington, Virginia

Jordyn Satterfield, Quioccasin Middle School, Richmond, Virginia

Andrew Bowerly, Tenino High School, Tenino, Washington

Mike Scott, Columbia Basin College, Pasco, Washington

Nathan Rodahl, Port Angeles High School, Port Angeles, Washington

Rachel Lake, Ilwaco High School, Ilwaco, Washington

James Allder, Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg, West Virginia

Lisa Werner, St. Bruno Parish School, Dousman, Wisconsin

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2027 GRAMMY Music Educator Award Legacy Applicants who are NAfME members

Nathaniel Haskew, Albertville Middle School, Albertville, Alabama

Shane Colquhoun, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama

Macy Bell, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Morgan Luttig, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Kelly Rentz, Colony High School, Palmer, Alaska

Katherine Findlay, Meadow Park Elementary School, Irvine, California

Valerie Vinnard, Los Cerritos Elementary School, Long Beach, California

Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen, UCLA, Los Angeles, California

Brian Gallagher, Ramona High School, Riverside, California

Ammy Beltran, Valley High School, Santa Ana, California

Joshua Race, Fountain-Fort Carson High School, Fountain, Colorado

Sarah Gleason, New Canaan High School, New Canaan, Connecticut

Patrick Smith, Cooperative Arts and Humanities Magnet High School, New Haven, Connecticut

Anne Halloran Tortora, Saint Bernard School, Uncasville, Connecticut

Roberto Vidal, Eagles Landing Middle School, Boca Raton, Florida

Carlos Redman, Stranahan High School, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Janet Duguay-Kirsten, Dante B. Fascell Elementary, Miami, Florida

Katie Grace Miller, Lake George Elementary, Orlando, Florida

Oliver Diez, Palmetto Elementary School, Pinecrest, Florida

Brett Bawcum, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Rebecca Atkins, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Samuel Holmes, Garden Hills Elementary School, Atlanta, Georgia

Alisha Bowden, West Jackson Middle School, Hoschton, Georgia

Vincent Sneed, Central Gwinnett High School, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mindy Forehand, Ola High School, McDonough, Georgia

Barbara Baker, McIntosh High School, Peachtree City, Georgia

Chad Uyehara, Moanalua Middle School, Honolulu, Hawaii

Larry VanMersbergen, Rosary College Prep, Aurora, Illinois

Justin Antos, Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Blue Island, Illinois

Michael Sliwinski, Nazareth Academy, La Grange Park, Illinois

Kathryn Spangler, Mt. Vernon High School, Fortville, Indiana

Alyson Humphrey Smith, A.C. Steere Elementary School, Shreveport, Louisiana

Ashley Albert, Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maine

Otis Eldridge, Hamilton Elementary Middle School, Baltimore City, Maryland

Jessica Billings-White, Lexington Public Schools, Lexington, Massachusetts

Jonathan Plouffe, Thurgood Marshall Middle School, Lynn, Massachusetts

Lisa Linde, Newton South High School, Newton, Massachusetts

Michael Lapomardo, Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Kevin McDonald, Wellesley High School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

David Schumacher, Pentucket Regional Middle High School, West Newbury, Massachusetts

Shannan Hibbard, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

Courtney Kaiser-Sandler, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan

Joshua Sorenson, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Junior/Senior High School, Janesville, Minnesota

Karen Howard, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota

James Henry, University of Missouri–St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri

Mike Robb, Irving Middle School, Lincoln, Nebraska

Debbie Martinez, Millard North High School, Omaha, Nebraska

Jordan Peters, Dr. E Alma Flagg School, Newark, New Jersey

David Buckle, Jonas Salk Middle School, Old Bridge,          New Jersey

Elisabeth Sato, Martin Luther King Intermediate School, Piscataway, New Jersey

David Westawski, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

Zachary Lutz, Olson Middle School, Tabernacle, New Jersey

Michael Blostein, Averill Park High School, Averill Park, New York

Jennifer Easley, Binghamton High School, Binghamton, New York

Joel Smales, Binghamton High School, Binghamton, New York

Antoine Dolberry, P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez, Bronx, New York

Eric Williamson, P.S. 32 Samuel Mills Sprole, Brooklyn, New York

Luis Ingels, Candor Elementary School, Candor, New York

Joseph Ianaconi, Chateaugay Central School, Chateaugay, New York

Eric Rubinstein, Nazareth University, Rochester, New York

Paul Caputo, Syosset High School, Syosset, New York

Kaitlyn Koch, Waterford-Halfmoon Jr/Sr High School, Waterford, New York

Michael Henderson, Chase High School, Forest City, North Carolina

Alan Sturdivant, Monroe High School, Monroe, North Carolina

Marc Lumley, Valle Crucis School, Sugar Grove, North Carolina

Paul Glader, Bethel-Tate Middle School, Bethel, Ohio

Amy Rist, Jackson Middle School, Grove City, Ohio

Shelli Boes, General Johnnie Wilson Middle School, Lorain, Ohio

Dustin Wiley, Firelands High School, Oberlin, Ohio

Brett Keith, Altoona Area High School, Altoona, Pennsylvania

Deanna Grandstaff, Cecil Intermediate School, McDonald, Pennsylvania

Nick Barthen, Moon Area High School, Moon Township, Pennsylvania

Adam Nobile, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

Joseph Smith, Reading Senior High School, Reading, Pennsylvania

Glenn Cowen, Upper Moreland HS, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

Chloe Spitzer, Camp Road Middle School, Charleston, South Carolina

Michael Lloyd, South Florence High School, Florence, South Carolina

Jessie Marie Haynes, Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill, South Carolina

Arlyn Mills, Dorman High School, Roebuck, South Carolina

Marisa Frank, Explore! Community School, Nashville, Tennessee

Alec Powell, Lone Peak High School, Highland, Utah

Sam Noyce, Glendale Middle School, Salt Lake City, Utah

Bill Podolski, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program, Arlington, Virginia

Elizabeth Weikle, Monticello High School, Charlottesville, Virginia

Mary Letson, Indian River High School, Chesapeake, Virginia

Tiffany Hitz, Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax, Virginia

James Johnson, Armstrong High School, Richmond, Virginia

Ailisa Newhall, Canyon Park Middle School, Bothell, Washington

James Reddan, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington

Sarah Berglund, Richland High School, Richland, Washington

Cuauhtemoc Escobedo, Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, Washington

Austin Campbell, Logan High School, Logan, West Virginia

Alvin Simpson, West Liberty University, West Liberty, West Virginia

Ian Melrose, Central Heights Middle School, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

* This number reflects those whose memberships were current at the time of this announcement and is subject to change.