CMA Foundation Celebrates 10 Years Of Music Teachers Of Excellence Honoring The Nation’s Top Music Educators

THE CMA FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF MUSIC TEACHERS OF EXCELLENCE HONORING THE NATION’S TOP MUSIC EDUCATORS

Zac Brown, Sierra Hull, Marcus King, Carrie Manolakos, David Phelps, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Keith Urban and Tucker Wetmore Join the CMA Foundation to Celebrate 10 Years of Music Teachers of Excellence During Nashville Event, Featuring a Special Message from Dolly Parton

Watch Highlights from Music Teachers of Excellence HERE

Additional Photos from the Evening’s Performances and Special Moments HERE

The Nashville music community came together Wednesday, Oct. 7, at The Pinnacle to celebrate 30 of the nation’s most outstanding music educators at the 10th annual Music Teachers of Excellence ceremony, presented by the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association. Marking a decade of the program and 15 years of the CMA Foundation, the evening brought together artists, educators, students, music industry leaders and community supporters 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. Together, they illustrate the creativity, dedication and lasting impact of music teachers who use music to inspire students, build confidence and create opportunities in classrooms and communities. With this year’s class, Music Teachers of Excellence has now honored more than 200 educators since the program was established. The milestone also marked a new chapter for the program, as 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.

The evening blended a special student performance, live music, personal storytelling and moments of recognition to explore the theme of legacy and the lasting impact of music educators. 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.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell opened the program with remarks and 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 Country artist Zac Brown welcomed guests and introduced a special message from Dolly Parton, who 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 continued the evening with a performance 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. Tucker Wetmore then took the stage for an electric piano performance of “Great Balls of Fire.” 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.” Throughout the evening, the performances and stories reinforced a shared message: the legacy of a music teacher lives on in every student whose life they help shape.

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

This year marked the first time Robert Deaton, Executive Producer of the CMA Awards, brought his expertise to show, helping shape the evening’s performances and creative flow in collaboration with the Music Teachers of Excellence event committee.

“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. “Last 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 celebration was made possible thanks to the CMA Foundation’s generous event sponsors. From Music Impact Coalition, which sponsored the Alumni Gathering, to Oracle, which hosted the welcome reception happy hour, and Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel which supported accommodations for the honorees, these organizations helped bring the event to life. The Wall Group provided celebrity glam for honorees, while Visa, Amazon, Merrill Lynch-Klindt, Cole & Associates, Gatsby Records, Dr Pepper, Crown Bakeries, Atlanta Braves Foundation, The Tennessee Titans, Robert and Susan Deaton, Kendra Scott, and The Pinnacle/AEG presents provided additional support to ensure every honoree felt celebrated.

Through the Music Teachers of Excellence program, each honoree receives a $5,000 grant, with half designated to support their classroom and half available for personal use. The program provides music teachers with additional resources to bring new ideas into their classrooms, invest in their professional development and continue creating meaningful musical experiences for their students.

 

The 2026 Music Teachers of Excellence honorees are:

 

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

 

Applications for the 2027 Music Teachers of Excellence are now open! Nominate a standout music teacher or encourage them to apply and help recognize the incredible impact they make in their classrooms and communities. Visit CMAfoundation.org to learn more.

About the CMA Foundation:

The CMA Foundation transforms lives through the power of music education. Established by the Country Music Association in 2011 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) invests in high-quality programs that ensure all students have access to music. In partnership with the music industry and like-minded nonprofits, the CMA Foundation directs research-informed funding where it makes the greatest impact—empowering music teachers through professional development, providing resources for classrooms and programs, and creating life-changing opportunities for students.