Two Lehigh Valley teachers are quarterfinalists for Grammy Music Educator Award

Music teachers from Bethlehem and Bangor are quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award that will be presented at the Grammy Awards in February, it was announced Thursday.Amy Putlock, a general and vocal music teacher at Broughal Middle School in Bethlehem, and Eric Hahn, band director at Bangor Area High School, are among 189 teachers from 179 cities nationwide chosen from more than 3,300 nominations submitted from all 50 states.Eric Hahn, right, directs Bangor Area High School students in a performance of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ in 2011. (Emily Robson/)The list in September will be narrowed to 15 semifinalists, and in December to 10 finalists. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award and to attend the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards Special Merit Awards Ceremony, which will honor recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical Grammy Awards.The winner will get a $10,000 honorarium, and the nine other finalists each will get a $1,000 honorarium. The schools of all 10 finalists also will get matching grants, and the 15 semifinalists will get a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.The award was established to recognize educators of kindergartners through college students 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.”Putlock, who started in Bethlehem schools in 2011, is a classroom music teacher and director of Broughal’s chorus and Southside Singers, as well as music director of the drama club. She also coaches field hockey and track and field.She is a graduate of Blue Mountain High School in Orwigsburg and Moravian College.Hahn, an Allentown native and Parkland High School graduate, has been at Bangor since 2010. In addition to directing the band, he leads ensembles including the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Pep Band and Pit Orchestra.A Penn State graduate, he is a former member of The Allentown Band.Hahn also was a Grammy Music Educator Award quarterfinalist in 2014, when Parkland teacher Debra Reilly made it to the final 10. Teachers were nominated for the award by students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members or administrators.Other regional finalists for the award are Michael Hood of Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Nathaniel Arnold of Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, David Bachart of New Hope-Solebury High School, Anthony Merlino of Albright College in Reading, and Ed Luckey of Wilson Southern Middle School in West Lawn.
Source: Morningcall