Community Corner

Harrison Music Teacher Finalist For Grammy Award

Dr. Ferdinand Pasqua, the band director for Harrison High School, is one of 217 quarterfinalists for the GRAMMY Foundation's Music Educator Award, the foundation announced this week.

The Music Educator Award—in its inaugural year—was established to "recognize current educators (K–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."

The award is a joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, and will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony and Nominees Reception during 2014 GRAMMY week.

Dr. Pasqua was chosen from over 30,000 applicants, who were nominated by teachers, friends, parents or community members.  The winner—selected from 10 finalists—will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards ceremony, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a  $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists also will receive matching grants. Semifinalists will be announced in August.

The Harrison band director is no stranger to winning awards.  He's this year's recipient of the “2012 Take Note: The Berklee Award for Innovative Teaching Award” from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, which recognizes music educators who have inspired their students. 

The panel that voted to grant Dr. Pasqua the award said he, “represents the highest standards of teaching and demonstrates excellence, commitment, and innovation in the teaching and development of contemporary music education at Harrison High School," according to the high school's website.


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