3 Korff School alumni are quarterfinalists for GRAMMY Educator Award

calendar icon03 Jun 2016    

Lincoln, Neb.--Three Glenn Korff School of Music alumni are among 290 quarterfinalists selected for the 2017 Music Educator Award from The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation.

Darren Pettit (DMA 2016), an instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Jacob Bartlett (MM 2008, DMA 2011), assistant professor of music at Peru State College, and Craig Edgar (BME 2011) are quarterfinalists. The final recipient will be honored during GRAMMY Week in 2017.

In total, more than 3,300 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) who have made 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.

Pettit received his bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and his masters degree from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. In May, he received his DMA in jazz studies/composition from UNL. He performs regularly with the Omaha Symphony, the Omaha Community Playhouse and the Las Vegas Lab Band.

Bartlett received his DMA in voice from UNL. He also has a Masters of Music from UNL, as well as a Masters of Science in Education and Bachelors of Science in Education from Northwest Missouri State University. He is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Choral Directors Association, the College Music Society and the National Association for Music Education. He has performed extensively throughout the U.S. and world as a soloist and stage performer.

Edgar received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from UNL in 2011. He serves as the director of bands at the Village School in Houston Texas.  Since his arrival in 2011, Edgar has grown the band from a group of 13 students and helped to expand music course offerings to include IB Music and Conducting. He specializes in student engagement and leadership development, and firmly believes that great ensemble performance begins with developing individual musicianship. Edgar is a four-time nominee for the Grammy Foundation’s Music Educator of the Year award. An active professional saxophonist, Craig has shared the stage with musicians such as Donald Brown, Bob Sheppard, Bill Cunliffe and Rich DeRosa.  He also performs frequently with Bayou City Theatrics.

For a full listing of quarterfinalists, visit https://go.unl.edu/mnb3.