A Concord High School teacher is in the running for the Grammy Foundation's first "Music Educator" award.
Gary Coartney, the director of instrumental music at Concord High, is among 20 California teachers who have made it to the quarter finals for the award. A total of 217 educators nationwide were chosen out of a pool of more than 30,000 initial submissions, according to the Grammy Foundation and the Recording Academy.
The Music Educator Award recognizes educators from kindergarten through college, spanning both 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."
Nominations were open to the public during a period starting after the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in February and closing on the April 15 deadline.
One recipient will be selected from 10 finalists and flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attending a Grammy Awards ceremony and receiving a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants.
Semifinalists will be announced in August.
Do you know Concord High's Gary Coartney? Why does he deserve to win the Music Educator award? Share your thoughts by commenting.
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