Awards - CMEA Bay Section

To nominate someone for an award, please see the Nominations page.

Past Recipients

Each year CMEA Bay Section recognizes outstanding educators in our region who have demonstrated excellence in the field of music education. Award recipients are announced annually at the Bay Section Winter Conference at San José State University.

Outstanding Music Educator Award Recipients

CMEA Bay Section annually presents awards to outstanding educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of music education in our region who have been nominated by their peers and confirmed by the Executive Board.

2024 – Ulices Chavez
2023 – David Vickerman
2022 – Andy Collinsworth
2021 – Anne Marie Katemopoulos
2020 – Todd Summers
2019 – Diane Klaczynski
2018 – Greg Conway
2017 – Troy Davis
2016 – Nancy Moser
2015 – Steve Hendee
2014 – Diana Hollinger
2013 – Michael Boitz
2012 – Cheryl Yee Glass
2011 – Thomas Tatton
2010 – Edward C. Harris
2009 – Jack Martens
2008 – John Maltester
2007 – Robert Athayde
2006 – Timothy M. Smith
2005 – Norman Dea
2004 – Lucerne Mottaz
2003 – Don Scott
2002 – Michele Winter
2001 – Kem F. Martinez
2000 – Victoria Schmidt
1999 – John Burn
1998 – Orrin Cross III
1997 – Leonora Gillard Sleeter
1996 – Vince Gomez
1995 – Janice Gaynor
1994 – Owen Goldsmith
1993 – Bill Thompson
1991 – Elliott Charnow
1990 – Henry Use
1988 – Steve Connolly

Outstanding Band Educator Award – NEW FALL 2024

(For current educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of band music education)

This award is an evolution of the Gilbert T. Freitas Award to honor outstanding band directors in Bay Section.

Rising Star Educator Award – NEW FALL 2024

(For any active music educator demonstrating excellence in the field of music education (any discipline/genre), but having 7 years or less experience)

The Rising Star Educator award is an evolution of the Gilbert T. Freitas Award, now open to music educators in all disciplines to recognize outstanding teachers in the early part of their career. These are our future leaders in music education!

Outstanding Choral Music Educator Award Recipients

(For current educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of choral music education)

2024 – Lauren Diez
2023 – Stephanie Rios
2022 – Laryssa Sadoway
2021 – Shelley Durbin
2020 – Michael Najar
2019 – Jenny Bent
2018 – Susie Martone
2017 – Anne Marie Katemopolous
2016 – Lou De La Rosa
2015 – Bruce Lengacher
2014 – Paul Lorigan
2013 – Angelina Fitzhugh
2012 – Ken Rawdon
2011 – Lucerne Mottaz
2010 – David Martin
2009 – Phil Robb
2008 – Anthony Arnold
2007 – Jim Yowell
2006 – Gail Bowers
2005 – Susan Stuart
2004 – Bruce Koliha

Frank Sumares Memorial Outstanding Jazz Educator Award Recipients

(For current educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of jazz music education)

2024 – Randy Porter
2023 – Brian Switzer
2022 – Craig Bryant
2021 – Patrick Langham
2020 – Aaron Lington
2019 – Joe Mazzaferro
2018 – Keith Johnson
2017 – Paul Yonemura
2016 – Mike Galisatus
2015 – Dave Gregoric
2014 – Greg Brown
2013 – Bob Athayde

Outstanding Orchestra Educator Award

(For current educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of orchestral music education)

2024 – Helene Grotans
2023 – Amie Jan
2022 – Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli
2021 – David Byrd
2020 – Johnathan Hsu
2019 – Mike Pakaluk
2018 – Michael Boitz
2017 – Scott Krijnen
2016 – Stephanie Holmes
2015 – Sharon Calonico
2014 – Sandra Lewis
2013 – Loretta McNulty

Outstanding Elementary Music Educator Award

(For educators who have demonstrated excellence in the field of general classroom music education)

2024 – Carol Prater
2023 – Kenneth Hutchinson-Surette
2021 – Cody Martin
2020 – Angela Schmidt
2019 – Victoria Schmidt
2018 – Tiffany Barry
2017 – Liz Brummel
2016 – Terri Knight
2015 – Pete Santucci
2014 – Jeremiah Jacks
2012 – Kara Ireland-D’Ambriosio
2011 – Victoria Schmidt
2010 – Jay Beams
2009 – Jo Anne Warburton
2008 – Linda Covington
2007 – Karyn Silva
2006 – Donna Smith
2005 – Paul Kimball
2004 – Mark Morello

Beyond The Baton Award

The Beyond The Baton Award honors the legacy and spirit of Dr. Eric Hammer by recognizing educators who promote musical excellence, integrity, dependability, and compassion through their teaching practice. The award is sponsored by the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music and is presented annually at the CMEA Bay Section Awards Celebration.

2024 – John Burn
2023 – Rebecca D’Alessio
2022 – Jonathan Grantham
2021 – Chavonta Edington
2020 – Mark Morello

Lifetime Achievement Award

(For retired educators who have contributed exemplary service to the music education field)

2024 – Robert Calonico
2023 – Norman Dea
2022 – Edward Harris
2021 – Timothy Smith
2020 – Eric Hammer
2019 – L. LeRoy Roach
2018 – Jerry Pannone
2017 – Rick Meyer
2016 – Jack Martens
2015 – Orrin C. Cross III
2014 – Jim Hodge
2013 – John Maltester

Gilbert T. Freitas Annual Memorial Award (For Achievement in Music Education)

Gilbert Freitas was one of the original owners of Best Music Company and Best Instrument Repair Company. He was an ardent supporter of music education in CMEA Bay Section and through his generosity over the years he donated resources to many schools, music camps and youth bands/orchestras, supplied scholarships, and used the resources of their Oakland stores to help poorer schools and their music programs. This award pays tribute to the music education community in CMEA Bay Section in memory of Gilbert Freitas. There were two awards, one for a young teacher with less than 7 years of experience, and one for a veteran teacher with more than 7 years of experience.

This Gilbert T. Freitas Awards have been graciously sponsored by Dick Akright and Best Music for nearly 40 years. We thank him for his service to the music education community, and for supporting our organization for so many years.

Beginning in the Fall of 2024 this award has evolved into the Outstanding Band Educator Award and Rising Star Educator Award.

Past Award Recipients
* – Less Than 7 Years Experience
More Than 7 Years Experience

2024 – Tiffany Carrico
2024 – Katie Gilchrist*
2023 – Susan Schadeck
2023 – John Gilchrist*
2022 – Nelson Agregado
2022 – Jason Shiuan*
2021 – Jenny Anderson
2021 – Gary Ortega*
2020 – Devin Holcomb
2020 – Karen Wells*
2019 – Andrew Wilke *
2019 – Kirk Wetterholm
2018 – Mateo Dillaway*
2018 – Joe Murphy
2017 – Brant Nishida*
2017 – Randy Porter
2016 – Eric Weingartner*
2016 – Greg Conway
2015 – Jonathan Jow*
2015 – Benedetta Dalbesio
2014 – Keith Johnson*
2014 – Jonathan Grantham
2013 – Joshua Butterfield*
2013 – Arlene Burney
2012 – Jessica Vaughan-Marra*
2012 – Rita Zigas-Brown
2011 – Christopher Marra*
2011 – Todd Summers
2010 – Kellie Bowman*
2010 – Laurel Verissimo
2009 – Beth Dameron*
2009 – Greg Brown
2008 – Julie Bounds*
2008 – Paul Perazzo
2007 – Timothy Harris*
2007 – Paul Yonemura
2006 – Dave Lewis*
2006 – Steve Mathews
2005 – David Vickerman*
2005 – John Felder
2004 – Vu Nguyen*
2004 – Michael Galisatus
2003 – Michael Boitz*
2003 – Edward C. Harris
1995 – Eve Eliseian*
1995 – Dalt Williams
1994 – Jeanette Brown*
1994 – James Hodge
1993 – Romano Marchetti
1992 – John Frantz*
1992 – Steve Connolly
1991 – Sandra Beacock*;
1991 – Robert Greenwood
1990 – Steve Taylor*
1990 – Robert Athayde
1989 – Bruce McCay*
1989 – Henry Use
1988 – Norman Dea*
1988 – Marvin Nelson
1987 – Ted Newton*