Get to know the winner and nominees for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award
Of the 5 nominees, Jewel Casselman was named Music Teacher of the Year at the 2023 Juno Awards
They're used to sweating it out and cheering on their music students at recitals, concerts, choral events, and contests. Now it's time for the music students to cheer on their teachers on Canada's biggest music stage.
Since 2005, the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award has recognized 17 extraordinary Canadian music teachers, honouring and awarding their impact both on students and the broader music education profession, and for promoting music education in their schools and communities through their passion.
This year, MusiCounts, CBC Music and presenting sponsor, the CST Foundation (Canadian Scholarship Trust), are proud to spotlight these five awesome nominees from across Canada:
- Jewel Casselman, Lakewood School, Winnipeg: WINNER.
- Susan Evoy, St. Teresa's Elementary AND Waterford Valley High School, St. John's.
- Stephen Richardson, École St. Joseph School, Yellowknife.
- Kelly Stronach, Mitchell Woods Public School, Guelph, Ont.
- Heidi Wood, Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School, Calgary.
One of these nomineess will win top honours — and a trophy of their own — during the 2023 Juno Awards broadcast on March 13 from Rogers Place in Edmonton. It's a fitting location, since a large percentage of winning music teachers from MusiCounts and CBC Music's annual Canadian Music Class Challenge have come from Edmonton-area schools. It will also be a poignant reminder that this year's Juno Award winners likely started out with a teacher, like these nominees, who inspired them to learn music.
Besides their very own Juno statuette, the winning teacher will also receive a $10,000 cash prize and a grant for their school through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program.
"It is a delight to recognize these five exceptional educators as finalists," said Kristy Fletcher, president of MusiCounts, the official charity of the Juno Awards. "Educators across the country devote their time, energy, and expertise to keep the beating heart of a school — the music classroom — alive. Congratulations to this year's nominees, who represent the highest achievement and dedication in their profession."
Besides the big night at the Junos, you can also catch the Teacher of the Year nominees in a livestreamed round table discussion about the biggest issues facing music education in Canada, on Mon. March 6 at 4pm E.T.,1pm P.T.
Get to know year's nominees below:
Jewel Casselman, Lakewood School, Winnipeg: WINNER
Casselman is a music educator with extensive expertise in Orff (pitched percussion) instruction for elementary-aged children. She's been teaching music since 1988, and is a fierce advocate for empowering kids with an early start. She's successfully advocated for music to be added to kindergarten programming at several schools in the Winnipeg area, helping kids build a foundation of musical knowledge to carry them through their lives.
Casselman sits on several committees (at the national and provincial levels), promoting diversity, inclusivity and equity in music education, and believes that regardless of a child's race, economic status, or learning style, they should have access to quality music education.
This is Casselman's fourth nomination for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award. She was previously nominated in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Susan Evoy, St. Teresa's Elementary and Waterford Valley High School, St. John's
Evoy brings joy and empowerment to students at not one but two schools in St. John's. She has her hands full teaching string orchestra, concert and jazz band, and choir to students ranging from grades 2 to 5, and 10 to 12 — requiring a vast set of skills, which she juggles with ease and joy.
St. Teresa's Elementary welcomes a broad demographic of students, including those who often see their needs go unmet. When it became clear that some families weren't able to afford instrument rentals, Evoy reached out to the local radio station to engage them in an instrument drive to make sure every child had an instrument to use without having to share.
Evoy's philosophy is "music brings joy to our lives, and music is for everyone."
This is Evoy's first nomination for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award.
Stephen Richardson, École St. Joseph School, Yellowknife
Richardson is a passionate advocate for music in the North. As the K-12 music educator, he demonstrates commitment, develops community, and empowers students to reach their full potential through music. In Richardson's class, music can look like anything from rock to jazz, to band. He encourages the use of technology not only to sustain music education through the challenges of the pandemic, but to help children build skills like recording, grant-writing, video production, and more.
Richardson contributes to the profession by mentoring school staff and teachers in training, and brings artists touring the North to the school for performances, workshops, and Q&As. He's studied inclusive practice, mindfulness, self-regulation and brain-based research in order to further the effectiveness of his music pedagogy. Inclusivity figures prominently in his teaching; by using noise-assist gear and apps, he draws pathways to success for neurodivergent students and students with exceptionalities. Richardson is also a critical supporter of those students who choose to pursue a career in music. He is an example of how a healthy music industry can start in the classroom.
Richardson was previously nominated for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award in 2021.
Kelly Stronach, Mitchell Woods Public School, Guelph, Ont.
Stronach exemplifies excellence in music education. She's an adaptive, multi-skilled educator who understands the pivotal role music plays as the heart of any school. At each new school, she works with students to write an official school song, instilling a sense of pride and school spirit.
Stronach works to provide opportunity for students, whether it be a field trip to see a stage show in Toronto or the founding of a gay-straight alliance to promote inclusivity and community within the student population. She teaches a wide range of musical styles and instruments, from guitar and ukulele ensemble to rock band, choir and wind ensemble, and ensures that students are listening to a broad range of musical styles.
Her dedication to fostering school and community spirit touches every institution she works with. When her position at Elora Public School was made redundant, students and their families notified the media, expressing outrage at the loss of such an important figure — a testament to her impact on her school.
Stronach was previously nominated for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award in 2022.
Heidi Wood, Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School, Calgary
Wood is a committed and engaging high school, community, and post-secondary choral music educator, adjudicator, vocal coach, festival organizer, clinician, curriculum consultant, soloist, arranger, editor, and chorister.
She is able to find success and connection with students of all abilities. She is equally comfortable in the traditional choral world, in contemporary choral styles, and in both solo vocal jazz and vocal jazz choirs. During the height of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wood adapted her practice to include composition and arranging using digital tools and percussion programming.
Outside of the classroom, Wood is a leader among choral directors in the province where she is sought after as a clinician, session presenter, adjudicator, and guest conductor. In addition to her professional affiliations, she has already been recognized by colleagues, students, and parents through nominations for an Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award (2016) and, in 2022, she was awarded the Con Spirito Award from Choir Alberta for her dedication and contributions to choral music.
This is Wood's third nomination for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award. She was previously nominated in 2018 and 2019.
Simu Liu is back to host the 2023 Juno Awards on Monday, March 13, at 8 p.m ET. Tune in on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music and CBC Listen, and stream globally on cbcmusic.ca/junos.
For additional information on MusiCounts, visit musicounts.ca.
