MusiCounts announces 2026 Music Teacher of the Year Award Nominees, spotlighting exceptional music educators across Canada

Key Highlights

• MusiCounts, Canada's music education charity, announces five nominees for the prestigious MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment
• This award recognizes excellence in music education and highlights the positive impact well-supported music education programs have on kids in Canada.
• This award acknowledges music educators as a critical and foundational part of the Canadian music industry, and is presented live at The JUNO Awards on March 29, 2026.

TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2026 /CNW/ - MusiCounts, Canada's music education charity, revealed the nominees for the 2026 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment. The winner of this prestigious award, which recognizes excellence in music education, will be announced at The 55th Annual JUNO Awards in Hamilton, ON on March 29, 2026.

The MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, now in its 21st year, celebrates the impact, innovation, and passion demonstrated by music educators across the country. This year's nominees embody the characteristics of an exceptional music teacher, from fostering inclusivity to advocating for the importance of music education in all schools nationwide.

The finalists for the 2026 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment, are:

• Zeda Ali - Sunny View Middle School - Brampton, ON
• Lynn Harper - Chateauguay Valley Regional High School - Ormstown, QC
• Alex Hutcheon - Cremona School - Cremona, AB
• Isabelle Lemieux - École Caps-des-Neiges - Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC
• Raquel McIntosh - Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School - Hamilton, ON

Zeda Ali from Sunny View Middle School (Brampton, ON) has now got a second nomination for this Award on her belt. She is the driving force behind the school's steel pan program, one of the few in the Peel District School Board. Zeda goes beyond traditional instruction, making music accessible and relatable for all students, incorporating pieces from Trinidad, Guyana, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and beyond.

Lynn Harper from Chateauguay Valley Regional High School (Ormstown, QC) is not just the music teacher -- but the choir director, performing arts leader and Arts Consultant at the school, highly respected and an inspiration to students and community. She is outspoken about arts funding, inclusion, and equity in the classroom, a safe space where youth are encouraged to take creative risks and find their voice.

Alex Hutcheon from Cremona School (Cremona, AB) is a visionary educator who rebuilt the music program that was at risk of being cut, into a thriving community of five concert and jazz bands, representing more than 60% of the eligible student population and varying skills. He even engineered instrument solutions so students with physical disabilities could fully participate, which opened the door for opportunities beyond the classroom.

Isabelle Lemieux from École Caps-des-Neiges (Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC) is a deeply committed music teacher to her students from early childhood through Grade 6. She creates rich, inclusive musical experiences through choir, instrumental harmony programs, and classroom instruction that blend music, technology, culture, and community engagement such as participating in large-scale events such as Vocalies, to performing at seniors' residences.

Raquel McIntosh from Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School (Hamilton, ON) is an extraordinary educator that transformed the music program that experienced years of turnover and fragmentation, into established choirs, organized school performances, and on stage & behind the scenes opportunities for every student. When the school lost its music room and library, Raquel initiated "Beyond the Soundtrack", a collaboration of Spoken Word and Slam Poetry. She also founded "Creative Minds", a space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students to indulge in identity exploration, self-regulation, and emotional growth through music.

"I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the nominees for the 2026 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment. It is our greatest honour to highlight the important work and advocacy done by music educators across the country," said Kristy Fletcher, President of MusiCounts. "This well-deserved spotlight on these five teachers highlights the impact great educators have on kids, and the importance of continuing to support and sustain music education for every young person in Canada."

One outstanding educator will be chosen among the five nominees by an external committee of music education specialists and announced as the MusiCounts Teacher of The Year Award winner during The 55th Annual JUNO Awards at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, ON on March 29, 2026. The winner receives a JUNO Award statuette, a $10,000 cash prize, and a grant for their school through the MusiCounts School Music Funding Program.

Please visit musicounts.ca to learn more about MusiCounts and the Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment.

Summaries for each of the nominees are available here, and photos are available here.

About MusiCounts:

MusiCounts is Canada's music education charity associated with CARAS and the JUNO Awards. MusiCounts' vision is to ensure that all youth in Canada have access to music education through their schools and communities. This vision is realized through grant programs that invest directly into schools and communities across Canada that put musical instruments into the hands of kids who need them the most. Additionally, MusiCounts creates educational resources for teachers and students; empowers young people to pursue music as a career; and celebrates teachers, artists, and philanthropists who champion music education. Since 1997 MusiCounts has awarded nearly $20,000,000 in support of music education in Canada.

www.musicounts.ca

About Anthem Entertainment:

Anthem Entertainment is one of the world's leading independent music companies. Comprised of award-winning organizations, Anthem Entertainment is home to Anthem Music Publishing, Anthem Records, and a production music division that encompasses Jingle Punks, 5 Alarm Music and Cavendish Music. Headquartered in Toronto, with operations in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and London, Anthem supports and invests in the careers and works of songwriters and artists, and the creation of exceptional music for recording artists and audio-visual productions. Anthem's unique approach combines the resources, power, and reach of a major with the agility, entrepreneurism, and soul of an independent. Anthem's subsidiary businesses include Compact Media, the leading film and television audio-visual secondary rights management company based in London.

https://anthementertainment.com

SOURCE MusiCounts

Media Contact: Sarah Burns, MSL Group Canada, [email protected]