Dr. Gene Hundley, Swainsboro Middle School Band Director, has been named a Quarterfinalist for the prestigious 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. This is not the first time Dr. Hundley has been a finalist, having also been recognized in 2022.
Selected from a pool of over 2000 nominations, Dr. Hundley is one of 212 quarterfinalists chosen nationwide and one of only seven from the state of Georgia. In addition to the quarterfinalists, 123 legacy applicants from 2023 are eligible to win the award this year.
The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (K through college and 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. Semi-finalists will be announced in September.
Every year, one individual is chosen from a pool of ten finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The 10th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 66th GRAMMY Awards, as well as a range of GRAMMY Week events. The remaining nine additional finalists will receive an honorarium of $1,000, and the schools of all ten finalists will receive matching grants.
Fifteen individuals who made it to the semi-finals will receive a $500 honorarium, which matching school grants will accompany. The schools receive matching grants made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. Other organizations such as the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program by reaching out to their constituencies.
“It is very humbling and an honor to be considered for this award. It takes an enormous amount of resources and accommodations to grow a band program, and I am so grateful for the support of the community, parents, and administration each and every year,” said Dr. Hundley.
Thanks to Dr. Hundley's dedication to providing opportunities to students, the SMS band has been able to perform in various cities such as New York, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Nashville, The Blue Bird Café, The Grand Ole Opry, and Carnegie Hall. Under Dr. Hundley's direction, the Swainsboro Middle School band has had a history of excellence, consistently receiving Superior ratings at GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation. Despite the scarcity of private instructors in the area, SMS students have achieved high district-wide averages in participating in Solo and Ensemble Festivals, District Honor Bands, All-State Bands, and University of Georgia Honor Bands.
Dr. Hundley has recently announced his retirement from Emanuel County Schools. Although he has significantly impacted our band program, he remains humble. Dr. Hundley exemplifies the highest standards of an educator. Over the course of three decades, he has left a profound impact on countless students, going beyond simply producing beautiful music and winning awards. His true passion lies in investing in the youth, providing them with opportunities they may not have thought possible.
