CMA Foundation Celebrates Top Music Educators At 10th Annual Teachers Of Excellence Ceremony

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The CMA Foundation celebrates its 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence at The Pinnacle in Nashville. Photo: John Russell/CMA

The CMA Foundation hosted its 10th year of celebrating the nation’s top music educators at its annual Music Teachers of Excellence ceremony on Oct. 7 at The Pinnacle in Nashville.

During the special evening, artists, educators, students, music industry leaders and community supporters gathered to celebrate the lasting legacy of music teachers and the generations of students they inspire. This year’s honorees include five teachers from Metro Nashville Public Schools, 10 from school districts across Tennessee, and 15 representing schools in 11 additional states. With this year’s class, Music Teachers of Excellence has now honored more than 200 educators since the program was established.

Throughout the program, artists and speakers reflected on the teachers and mentors who helped shape their own lives and careers, underscoring how a lesson, a word of encouragement or an opportunity to perform can continue to influence a student long after they leave the classroom. The evening also celebrated the legacies of the CMA Foundation and Music Teachers of Excellence, honoring the people, partners and teachers who have helped build both organizations into enduring forces for music education.

Zac Brown performs during the 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence ceremony at The Pinnacle in Nashville. Photo: Elliot Lopes/CMA

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell opened the program with an official proclamation declaring Oct. 7 as “Music Teachers of Excellence Day” in Music City. The evening continued with a special student performance by the James Lawson Blue Sparks Jazz Band, directed by Rontrell Callahan of James Lawson High School, before Zac Brown welcomed guests and introduced a special message from Dolly Parton, who, prior to her passing, addressed the 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence with a heartfelt message about carrying music forward for the next generation. Brown then performed “Butterfly,” his collaboration with Parton, in a tribute to Parton’s extraordinary legacy and her commitment to creating opportunities for others.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band celebrated the tradition of passing music from one generation to the next before joining Marcus King for a special performance. Sierra Hull performed of “Beautifully Out of Place,” reflecting on the teachers who encourage students to embrace what makes them unique. Keith Urban shared the story of his own music teacher, Mrs. Grimmer, whose belief in her students changed the course of his life, before joining Sarah Trahern, CEO of CMA and President of the CMA Foundation, for a special moment recognizing her 13 years of leadership and advocacy for music education ahead of her retirement at the end of the year. Carrie Manolakos followed with a moving performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” dedicated to Trahern.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs with Marcus King during the 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence ceremony at The Pinnacle. Photo: John Russell/CMA

Tucker Wetmore then took the stage for an electric piano performance of “Great Balls of Fire,” and Franklin Willis, a member of the inaugural class of Music Teachers of Excellence and now Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Metro Nashville Public Schools, closed the program with reflections on the legacy of investing in educators before introducing David Phelps, who brought the evening to a close with “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.”

CMA Foundation Board Chairman Jennie Smythe also presented the CMA Foundation’s inaugural Music Education Impact Award to industry leader and longtime Foundation champion Joe Galante for his foundational role in the organization and his lasting impact on music education.

The CMA Foundation welcomed 83 Music Teachers of Excellence alumni back to Nashville for the first-ever alumni gathering and launched an official alumni network designed to keep past honorees connected to one another and to the program. The network will provide opportunities for alumni to stay engaged, share experiences, and continue building connections with fellow music teachers long after their year of recognition.

“Music teachers give students so much more than the ability to sing or play an instrument. They help them discover their confidence, find a place to belong and imagine possibilities for their future,” says Michelle Kirk, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “Wednesday night was a powerful reminder of the impact these teachers have and what we can build when a community comes together to support them. We’re incredibly grateful to the Nashville music community, the artists, partners and supporters who showed up to celebrate our Music Teachers of Excellence and especially to our event committee for helping bring this special evening to life. It was an honor to celebrate 30 extraordinary teachers and the lasting impact they continue to make for their students.”

The 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence Honorees:

Midwest:
David Hutter, Maine South High School, Park Ridge, IL

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic:
Kyle Cook, Western Branch Middle School, Chesapeake, VA
Ryan Mack, P.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, & Design Technology, Brooklyn, NY
Kevin McDonald, Wellesley High School, Wellesley, MA
Alice Tsui, New Bridges Elementary School, Brooklyn, NY

Southeast :
Lucy Alegria, Gallatin High School, Gallatin, TN
Michael Aymett, Riverdale High School, Murfreesboro, TN
Trevor Baxter, Centennial High School, Franklin, TN
Melissa Blizzard, Stevens Creek Elementary School, Martinez, GA
Johnny Croft, Cane Ridge High School, Antioch, TN
Julia Culp, Freedom Middle School, Franklin, TN
Elmer Feliciano, McMurray Middle School, Nashville, TN
Aurora Foster, Woodland Middle School, Brentwood, TN
Darlene Grande, Stonewyck Elementary School, Orlando, FL
Sherie Grossman, James Lawson High School, Nashville, TN
Tony Hartman, Scales Elementary School, Murfreesboro, TN
Kinsey Healy, Houston High School, Germantown, TN
Samuel Holmes, Garden Hills Elementary School, Atlanta, GA
Allen Kennedy, Hume-Fogg Academic High School, Nashville, TN
Taylor Kollmeier, Page High School, Franklin, TN
Ashleigh Ledford, Sterling School, Greenville, SC
Ollie Liddell, Memphis Central High School, Memphis, TN
Nathaniel O’Neal, DuPont Hadley Middle School, Old Hickory, TN
Michael Perryman, Ooltewah Elementary School, Ooltewah, TN

Southwest:
Efrain Casillas, Desert Oasis Elementary School and Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School, Phoenix, AZ
Corey Graves, Themer Middle School, Forney, TX

West:
Grace Kwon, Stoddard Elementary School, Anaheim, CA
Darlene Machacon, La Quinta High School, Westminster, CA
Henry Miller, Sierra Vista Middle School, Irvine, CA
Kimberly Ritzer, Green Valley High School, Henderson, NV

Lorie Hollabaugh
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