Third Annual Award will be Presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, during GRAMMY® Week

Oceanside CA— North County teachers Anne Fennel, Mission Vista High School and Ulli Reiner from the Poway Unified School District are among 25 music teachers from 25 cities across 15 states who have been announced as semifinalists for the Music Educator Award™ presented by The Recording Academy^® and the GRAMMY Foundation^®. In total, more than 4,500 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.
“I’m so excited about the GRAMMY Music Educator nomination!” said Anne, via email. “I truly feel honored by this recognition and humbled as there are 1,000s of incredible music teachers in the nation. I love my students, their creativity and energy, and all that they strive to achieve every day. This award is truly a part of who they are and represents each of them as I am given the opportunity to facilitate their creative, academic, and personal growth.”
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 the schools. A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, this award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception (also honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical GRAMMY^® Award) during GRAMMY Week 2016.
Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists, and will be recognized for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The winner will be flown to the host city of the GRAMMY Awards to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine other finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Foundation’s Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, and Journeys.
Jared Cassedy of Windham High School in Windham, N.H., was the recipient of the 2015 Music Educator Award. Cassedy was recognized during the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast in a special segment.
Nominations for the 2017 Music Educator Award are now open at www.grammymusicteacher.com.
To learn more about GRAMMY in the Schools visit grammyintheschools.com/