Congratulations to the following College of Music alumni for advancing to the quarterfinal round of 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Awards™:
Sidney Clarke-Lequerique (BME ’17)
Morgan Luttig (PhD ’22)
Debbie Martinez (MME ’01)
Bill Podolski (MME ’15)
Daniel Smith (BME ’05)
Donald Sorah (PhD ’12)
Roberto Vidal (BME ’19)
About the GRAMMY Music Educator Award™
Awarded by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum, 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.
Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and celebrated for their remarkable impact on students’ lives. The ultimate recipient of the award, who will be recognized next year as the 12th annual honoree, will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2026 GRAMMYs and a range of GRAMMY Week 2026 events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semi-finalists 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.
To learn more about the 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award™ and view the full list of 2026 quarterfinalists, visit grammy.com/news/music-educator-award-2026-quarterfinalists
