The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation Announce New MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD

On the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards broadcast live on the CBS Television Network, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Foundation Neil Portnow, TV and radio host/producer and GRAMMY Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest and multi-GRAMMY-winning artist Justin Timberlake announced that the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present their first-ever Music Educator Award to recognize music educators for their contributions to our musical landscape and their positive influence on their students' musical experiences.

The award is open to current U.S. music teachers from kindergarten through college, in public and private schools. Anyone can nominate a teacher - students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans and administrators - and teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers will be notified and invited to fill out an application. One winner will be selected from 10 finalists each year to be recognized for their remarkable impact on their students' lives. The first award will be presented during GRAMMY Week 2014. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium.

The honorariums provided to the winners are made possible by a grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund. This new partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund expands their financial support of GRAMMY Foundation music Education initiatives.