Your Nominations
Tim Burns
Tim began a virtual choir at the beginning of Lockdown in the UK. At the same time he was continuing to teach a youth group online and complete studies prior to an audition for Berklee College of Music in Boston. His online rehearsals brought happiness at the end of our dull days and we never ceased to be amazed at the finished project when, with no help, he miraculously stitches everything together to make us sound so beautiful. All for love of music and care for others.
Tim started Choirantine in the UK last Spring, many of its members found their way to it post VC6. He is a skilled inger & songwriter, & runs fantastic virtual choir sessions and has created something very special in Choirantine as it is warm, welcoming and full of love quite an achievement at just 22. During all this he successfully applied to Berklee in Boston and just moved there to start his studies.
Brenda Scott
I am nominating Mrs. Brenda Scott because she has truely changed my life. She had been my director since 6th grade and because of her I am now studying music in college. She has taught at St. Johns Country Day School for 30 years and recently announced her retirement. Over the years she has taken her students all over the world to perform. Many people fondly remember the Germany trips the school does every 2 years with the choir. She also started taking students to NYC to be in workshops with professional musicians and actors. She’s also had the honor of taking her high school choir to sing in The White House on 2 seperate occasions. I can’t think of a better way to honor her legacy than to Nominate her For Teacher of the Week.
Megan Schuitema
Megan Schuitema has changed my life through her passion and contribution to the program she runs. As a HS director, she gets new and fresh students all the time. She takes them under her wing and acts as a guiding light through the changes and hardships we face. Mrs. Schuitema allows us to have an outlet in her class where we can put our thoughts and emotions into the music we sing. She’s a wonderful and encouraging director, but she is an even better mentor and friend. Her office door is always open for questions, long talks, and silly encounters. The program that she runs is accepting and nourishing (and is still growing)! She encompasses what it means to connect through music. She provided a place for me (and others) to heal and flourish. Without her, I would’ve never thought to try and become a music major. Now I am studying to be a music therapist because I want to be able to make an impact through music. I am grateful for the impact she has made on myself and others.
Dr. Sara Harris- Baker
Dr. Baker was a professor of mine in undergrad. I was never in choir, but she mentored me as one of the only female staff at my small college. She built a program from the ground up and made it possible for so many students to get their degrees. She is a wife and mother herself, but always dedicated her time to her students. I remember crying in her office a few times, only to leave with a feeling of accomplishment and wanting to be like her someday for my students. She is a shining example of a world class educator and succeeded in changing not only my life but those of countless others from an area in the world that would otherwise leave them hopless in finding an outlet for music. She is my hero.
Eddie Adams
Mr. Adams is a tireless, selfless leader who both ensures his students have success with challenging literature as well as learn to love, respect, and critique each other. It is rare to find an ensemble where the students can offer high level, musical feedback to their fellow ensemble members and see that feedback applied. He has inspired countless students to pursue their dreams, sometime musical and other times not. While we are fortunate to have him at Millbrook, he has also served in State Level Leadership Roles and been State Choral Teacher of the Year.
Amy Kimbler
My chorus teacher is as caring as they come. Whether you need help with your solo coming up, or learning a new piece, or just a shoulder to cry on, she will be there for you. Amy Kimbler loves what she does enough to take the time to get to know each and every one of her hundreds of students. She even writes everyone notes to let them know how much they mean to her. Among all the hardships we’ve been through this past year, the world could use more people like Amy Kimbler.
Mike Mccullough
He has an amazing gift that he has shared with high school students for 30 years. He teaches choral music at the high school he graduated from. He sets high expectations and takes students who have never sung and turns them into singers! He builds individual relationships with his students at and their families. He has taken groups all over the world! He has a heart for people’s stories and finding the music to go with them. He has made a difference in thousands of lives
Jack Carey
When I was 8 years old I had an ear operation on my right ear that resulted in being deaf . I had NO IDEA what the future would offer me. Would I gain back hearing in that ear? Would I find some way to ask people to talk to me on my left side? All those questions hit me as a child. Flash forward to high school. I joined the school choir under a remarkable man named Jack Carey. I found myself loving choral music. I also got a lot of questions from my friends in the choir and one of them was “How can you sing if you only hear in one ear?” Looking back, I remember laughing that off. Just because I lost my hearing in one ear, my left ear gave me the chance to learn choral music. ! Mr. Jack Carey was well aware of that and he pushed me to overcome my hearing handicap. He KNEW I could do it. In college, I majored in choral music and started writing my music then. Jack Carey passed away a few years ago. Thank you, Jack, for your inspiration.
Timothy Fisher
4 yrs ago today, Tim was conducting the CRHS band on Seal Lullaby at the VA Beach Music Festival where they won the top prize. 1 yr ago, we were asking the ICU nurses at Hartford Hospital to play Seal Lullaby and any other EW songs they could as Tim remained unconscious after he was hit by a car the day the world locked down. His students did the only thing they knew they could do and that Tim had taught them to do. Find comfort and inspiration in music. From the isolation of their homes, they recorded and sent in their part of Seal Lullaby so it could be compiled and sent into Tim. Today, Tim is back in school, doing what he loves most, bringing music to his students lives and showing them how to share the power of that music. Before the accident, during his recovery and every day, Tim’s first thought is to make sure his students enjoy and understand the power and importance of music. Many are following in his footsteps in music ed and many more continue to share music because of Tim
Mr. Fisher is not only an amazing teacher, but an amazing person. This week last year, my brother’s high school class competed in Virginia Beach with the song Seal Lullaby and won the top prize. This song means a lot to both Mr. Fisher and his students, as it played a big role in connecting them through quarantine and his accident (caused major brain injury). Even through his extra hard time, Mr. Fisher is able to connect with his students tremendously through what he loves. While I have only had him for half of freshman year, he has already made a big impact on my life and the lives of my peers.
Mr. Fisher is the most kind and caring individual you will come across. He takes the time to get to each and every one of his many students. Not only is he phenomenal band teacher who is deeply passionate about what he teaches, but he also guides his students in life and encourages them no matter what the path they choose is. Mr. Fisher exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding mentor and he changes the lives of everyone who gives him the opportunity to. It was a blessing to have him as my teacher as many like me will say.
Tim Fisher holds a deeper passion for his students and the music he teaches than m any other teacher or professor I have had in my years of academia. I’ve been lucky enough to have him guide me through many Whitacre piece, one in particular that led us to winning a concert band competition (Seal Lullaby of course), and he really fostered my own love for music through his caring nature.
I am nominating Mr. Fisher because he doesn’t just teach his student how to play scales and marches; he teaches his students how to be better humans through music. My freshman year we played Seal Lullaby for the Virginia Beach music festival. When we played that piece on that stage every single member of the band was connected in our thoughts and emotions. That was all because of Mr. Fisher and his tireless devotion to his students. There is no person more deserving of accolades than Mr. Fisher. He has works tirelessly to offer as many opportunities to his students to play music, including expanding the jazz program or arranging music so that we can have a live pit band made of students for our school musical. I am eternally grateful for all that Mr. Fisher has done for me and my community.
Mr. Fisher has played an essential role in the music education of thousands of students and has inspired many to pursue careers involving music as well. He was a band teacher for 5th and 6th grade and students have been lucky enough to have him as a teacher in high school as well. Even following a terrible car accident, Timothy Fisher is and will continue to play a vital role in the lives of not only his students, but any person that has ever met him. He has taught me and my fellow students the comfort that music can bring and the importance it can play in ones life. During his recovery from being hit by a vehicle while walking, the students in the CRHS music department recorded sections of Seal Lullaby that would be played for him while he was in the hospital. Today, less than a year later Mr. Fisher is conducting and supporting his music students and persevering with the help of music. My life has changed because of Mr. Fisher; he has and will continue to inspire me and many others.
I have had Mr. Fisher as a teacher for six years in total. Mr. Fisher was the most inspirational teacher I had throughout the entirety of my high school career in CRHS. He is a great conductor and exposed his classes to many composers such as Eric Whitacre. The most notable piece we played by Eric Whitacre was definitely Seal Lullaby. We played that piece in a competition at Virginia Beach. It was definitely the most difficult piece we had, however, Mr. Fisher helped us through and it was the reason our class was able to rank so high in that competition. He is a passionate teacher, and very great to work with. He inspired me to even create some of my own music and I couldn’t be happier to have had him as a teacher.
He’s the best person ever.
Mr. Tanner Stutzman
He is an amazing educator, friend, and musician. He is constantly pushing us to be our best, and can be evidenced by a few of our choirs accomplishments. We were selected to perform at Carnegie Hall two years ago, and this past year we competed in the state jazz choir competition for the first time. Mr. Stutzman came down with COVID-19 the Saturday before competition (Monday) and still managed to lead us to 1st remotely. He has been teaching virtually this past week and is still extremely effective in making us better and pushing us to be amazing.
Aaron Cabrera
As a 5th year band director Aaron has does nothing but inspire those that he teaches. He brings joy to the band room as well as not so funny dad jokes, overall Aaron has been nothing but the best and most memorable teacher in my 4 years of high school. He still helps the alumni that ask for his help when needed and gives the most helpful advice and is always willing to lend a ear to his current and former students.
Scott Shrimpton
I want to Nominate Mr.Shrimpton because he has changed my life for the good. He has shown me what a genuinely good person will do for other people. He has been teaching for 30 years and he is retiring this year. I would say he’s the best teacher I’ve ever had because he understands me and makes choir more about the people than the music itself
Kirk Young
Mr. Young is my high school music teacher from Winnisquam Reigional High School in New Hampshire. He has kept all of us in our program alive even through the pandemic keeping us wanting more. Even though back in 2019 we may have had 85 kids in our choir and now only 37. He will put forth the same energy every day. He makes us laugh (and cry sometimes) and keep wanting to make music together everyday. He truly is the soul of our school and our program. Thank you Mr. Young for growing young musicians and keeping our passion alive.
Bianca Prado
Bianca Prado is an outstanding multi-lingual cello teacher with superb capabilities to teach at different levels for different ages in different languages . She truly stands out for her teaching style and the ability to develop engaging, highly useful lessons. She’s highly creative and tech savvy, being able to handle multiple zoom lessons, zoom group lessons, and even teaching students virtually outside of the US. Here are reasons that set her apart. Ms Prado grew up in Brazil and then moved to US to earn her Master’s. After her master’s, like a true pioneer, she schlepped her cello and settled in Idaho. Even though she lives and teaches at Sandpoint Idaho, Ms Prado still teaches students virtually in Illinois and Brazil. She is attentive, emphatic, and compassionate. Thank you Ms. Prado.
Nathan Rancatore
He has inspired and helped so many of his students. He helps to keep our motivation and efforts up during this difficult time. If its hybrid, normal, or remote learning he puts so much care and effort into his lessons, long “speeches”, and making sure everyone last one of us are doing ok.
Stephen Ziegler
Mr. Ziegler is the most engaging and passionate choir directer I have ever had. He makes you fall in love with music simply by how passionate he is about. Chorale is my favorite class of the day because of the energy and passion he brings every single day.
I am nominating Mr. Ziegler because he is the only teacher who has truly appreciated my hard work and talent. He is the best choir teacher I have ever had. I have never felt as appreciated as I am in his choir. Another reason i want to nominate him is because he has taught our choir so well that we are able to do a student chosen, directed, and conducted piece every year and I believe that is a great thing to be able to do.
Mr.Ziegler is a talented,kind, and loving teacher from Norman North Highschool in Norman, Oklahoma. He cares very deeply for every one of his students and never hesitates to help a student in need. Mr.Ziegler deserves teacher of the week because during these trying times he has risen above and has done everything in his ability to continue teaching me and the rest of my peers music.
Jacob Gonzalez
Mr.G has always been so kind and flexible to all of his students. He is so cheery and able to teach us music in a fun and helpful way. One of our students has been working incredibly hard on a community theatre production and instead of putting more work on him, Mr.G gave him the week off so he could rest. He never puts unneeded stress onto his students and knows just how to brighten up anyone’s day, and this is why I think he should be teacher of the week
Jessie Bullock
Mr. B, who teaches at Carlsbad High School, is more than a high school choir teacher. He is a youth advocate and mentor to hundreds of individuals. He allows a safe environment for ALL individuals to learn music and explore their voices by working together. I have never seen an educator pour more passion into their work. Now, given COVID, he has gone even further beyond what is expected of him as a public school educator. Not only is he teaching music online, but the kids are enjoying it. The lessons Mr. B teaches go far beyond the classroom. They are lessons all students will carry for years to come. Anyone who crosses paths with Mr. B, musically or otherwise, is an incredibly lucky individual.
Amir Bahador SG
He is an inspiring, enthusiastic voice and singing teacher whose patient, caring and encouraging attitude creates the most enjoyable learning experience. As a blind student however, my personal experience is even more unique. He is one of several incredible sighted teachers I have had the joy of encountering. I appreciate all his outstanding efforts to make each and every detail accessible, and offer me such great opportunities.
Matthew Fisk
Mr. Fisk is the choir director of Midlothian High School, and he is the one of the kindest men to ever live. He has a heart the size of the world, and he has room in it for all of his students. On top of being kind and truly caring, he is hilarious, and manages to keep spirits light even when we’re working hard. He conducts his choirs amazingly and fairly, turning groups of disparate students into families. That’s why I think Matt Fisk is the best teacher for this position.
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