Poway Teacher Up for National Music Educator Award

POWAY, CA -- Music teacher Ulli Reiner of Bernardo Heights Middle School in Poway has been named one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Music Educator Award, which is given annually by the organizations behind the Grammy Awards.

The Music Educator Award is the product of a joint partnership and presentation by The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation. It 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.

In addition to teaching at Bernardo Heights, Reiner is the manager, founder and concertmaster of the Poway Community Symphony Orchestra, as well as the conductor of the Poway Community Symphonette. She's also a co-founder of the San Diego Youth Philharmonic and San Diego Civic Youth Orchestras.

Reiner's also concertmaster of the Palomar Symphony Orchestra and orchestra director with the Poway Unified School District.

The Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their impact on students' lives. The 2017 honoree will be flown to Los Angeles, the host city of the Grammy Awards, and will be recognized during Grammy Week in February 2017.

The recipient will also attend the 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony on Feb. 12, as well as a range of Grammy Foundation events. In addition, the recipient will receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine other finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants.

The winner will be announced during the week leading up to the Feb. 12 Grammys ceremony. More information is available at www.grammymusicteacher.com.

Image via Shutterstock