GVSD Teacher In Running For GRAMMY Music Educator Award

MALVERN, PA — A Great Valley School District music educator has been named a finalist in the GRAMMY Music Educator Award contest.

Sean Cohen teaches string orchestra, symphony orchestra, jazz band, jazz ensemble, symphonic band, concert band, guitar I and II, and rock band (unique ensembles) in the district.

He is among numerous other music educators in the nation to be named a quarter finalist for the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum Music Educator Award.

Cohen and 216 music teachers from 199 cities have the chance to advance in the award selection.

One educator will eventually be selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The eighth annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards and a range of GRAMMY Week events. Nine additional finalists will get a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants.

Fifteen semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

The 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 GRAMMY Museum, the recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2021.

The 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.

In total, nearly 2,000 initial nominations were submitted. In addition to our quarter finalists, 91 legacy applicants from 2020 will also be eligible to win the award this year.