5 ACDA Members Are Semifinalists for Music Educator Award™ Grammy!

Rich Kirby, the GRAMMY Foundation

The GRAMMY Foundation ® and The Recording Academy ® have just announced 25 semi-finalists for the 2017 Music Educator Award™, and we are delighted to note that 5 ACDA members are among them!

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, 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 schools. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, the recipient will be honored during GRAMMY® Week 2017.

The ACDA members with a shot to be named Music Educator Award are:

• Erica Breitbarth, Choir Director, Musical Theater Director and Chair of the Music Department at Reagan International Baccalaureate School in the Milwaukee Public Schools. She has also worked with BuildaBridge International in Philadelphia to develop a comprehensive teaching model for artists working with at-risk students in the United States and around the world.

• David Dehner, Director of Vocal Arts Monte Vista Christian School, Choral Director Coastal Community Choir and Compass Church Celebration Choir, and President of San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

• Keith Hancock, who is in his fifteenth year teaching choral music, all at Tesoro High School in California, where he directs over 250 students in five curricular and four extra-curricular ensembles, and runs the Music Production/Audio Engineering program.

• Pamela E. McClain, who is the Parkersburg High School Choral Director in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and has been teaching in the public school system for 31 years. She currently teaches piano classes, voice class, Freshman Choir, Chamber Choir, A Cappella Choir and a Men’s and Women’s Ensemble. Ms. McClain also holds the position of Director of Music Ministries at the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Parkersburg, West Virginia, where she conducts the Chancel Choir.

• Dr. Richard Nickerson, who has been Director of Choral Activities at Windham High School in Windham, Maine, for the past 29 years. Richard is also Minister of Music at North Windham Union Church.

The winner of the Music Educator Award will be flown to the host city of the GRAMMY Awards® to be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2017. The recipient will also attend the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony and a range of GRAMMY Foundation events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 personal grant, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 personal grant with matching school grants for the first time in the award's history.

The ACDA supports the GRAMMY Foundation's Music Educator Award program and encourages all our members to enter their name – or nominate a colleague – for consideration for the 2018 award. The entry form and more information may be found at www.grammymusicteacher.com.

The finalists will be announced in December. Good luck to Erica, David, Keith, Pamela and Richard!