Greenbriar Music Teacher Jeremy Bartunek is a semifinalist for the Music Educator Award, an annual award presented by the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum.

The award supports and celebrates music education and music educators across the U.S. Mr. Bartunek is one of 25 semifinalists from across the U.S. who were selected from a pool for more than 2,000 nominations, according to an announcement on Oct. 11 from the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum.

Ten finalists will be announced in December and the ultimate recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024, days ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs.

The award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in schools, according to the release.

“I am deeply humbled and immensely grateful for the nomination of the Grammy Music Educator Award. This recognition is a testament to the incredible journey of teaching music and the passion that I share with my students. I stand on the shoulders of educators who have inspired me and this nomination is a reflection of their dedication and skill,” Mr. Bartunek said. “I continue to learn from my students every day.” 

In addition to teaching general music at Greenbriar, Mr. Bartunek is founder and director of the District 28 Children’s Choir, which includes students from all three district elementary schools. The group has performed throughout the community and in Chicago. He received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2020.

"I'm very proud of Jeremy and appreciative of the hard work he puts into creating a safe and inspiring place for children to develop a love for music. He is surrounded by colleagues who support and believe in the importance of the arts in education and we all congratulate him on this honor," said Greenbriar Principal Dr. Ginny Hiltz.