The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) announced the recipient of its annual Outstanding Music Educator Award: Joe Gaither, band director at South Central Local Schools.
“During this year full of challenges, we have heard countless stories of dedicated music teachers who are creatively solving the presented obstacles,” says Rachel Schultz, Director of Education & Community Engagement for the TSO. “The TSO Outstanding Music Educator Award allows us to recognize the hard work of these music educators in our community.”
The TSO created the Outstanding Music Educator Award in 2020. Current, full-time, K-12 music educators who teach music in public and private schools in the Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan region are eligible for the award.
“Our organization exists because teachers fostered the love in their students many years ago,” continues Schultz. “Every Toledo Symphony musician can tell you about the teacher who inspired them to pursue music. In the same manner, our current music educators are laying the foundation for the next generation of performers and audience members. These teachers are ensuring the arts remain alive and relevant. It’s an honor to congratulate Joe Gaither as this year’s Outstanding Music Educator.”
Joe Gaither has been a music educator in public schools for the last fourteen years and currently serves as the Director of Bands at of South Central Middle and High Schools (grades 5-12). He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Hiram College and his Master of Education degree from Kent State University. Joe's high school bands have traveled and performed at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the steps of the Ohio State Building in Columbus, the Cleveland International Tattoo at Public Auditorium, and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
“Through his innovative ideas and abundant energy, Joe Gaither has built the high school band from 19 to over 50 students in just a few years,” says Lori Weaver, Music Educator at South Central Local Schools. “The quality has improved greatly as well. The band has performed at Disney World and the Peach Bowl. It is amazing how Joe has turned the band program around so quickly. What used to be a "choir" town has returned to being a "band" town. Joe is an amazingly creative and resourceful music educator. Seeing this "rags to riches" band program unfold during the past few years has been exciting.”
“I am honored and overjoyed to have been selected as the TSO Outstanding Music Educator of the year,” says Joe Gaither, recipient of the TSO’s 2020-2021 Outstanding Music Educator Award. “I was moved by the comments left by the community and friends, it brought tears to my eyes. I want to acknowledge the other five finalists as they too are excellent music educators and am so honored to have been in the running alongside them.”
TSO Music Director Alain Trudel recognized Joe this past weekend on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22, 2021 at the ProMedica Masterworks program, Nakamatsu Plays Chopin. Joe’s class will receive complimentary tickets to a 2021-2022 Toledo Symphony Young People’s Concert or Masterworks concert. They will also receive a complimentary ensemble presentation for their classroom or school during the 2021-2022 academic year.
“Each of our six finalists would be a worthy recipient of the award; it is heartwarming to read the comments from their peers and students,” says Schultz. “Luckily, I didn’t have to make the decision! We left it up to the public. After receiving over 53,000 votes, we are pleased to announce Joe Gaither from South Central Local Schools as the 2020-2021 TSO Outstanding Music Educator Award recipient.”
Nominees included Diana Anderson (Toledo School for the Arts), Trevor Garrabrant (Crestview Middle & High School), Robyn Hage (Bowsher High School, TPS), Rodney Miller (Port Clinton City Schools), and Jennifer Recker (Lake Local Schools).
For questions or more information about the Toledo Symphony’s Outstanding Music Educator Award or educational outreach opportunities for schools, please contact Rachel Schultz, Director of Education & Community Engagement for the Toledo Symphony at rschultz@artstoledo.com.
ABOUT THE TOLEDO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra is a community-supported organization of professional musicians and teachers who deliver quality performance and music education for all.
Formed in 1943 as The Friends of Music and incorporated in 1951 as the Toledo Orchestra Association, Inc., the Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has grown from a core group of twenty-two part-time musicians to a regional orchestra that employs sixty-nine professional musicians who consider the Toledo Symphony their primary employer, as well as numerous extra players annually as repertoire demands.
On January 1, 2019, the Toledo Symphony and Toledo Ballet officially merged to form the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), a new non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional live music and dance performances and education for the region. This partnership promises to create new and invigorating programs, provide cost and revenue synergies in operations, and integrate the arts through shared educational missions.
The Toledo Symphony reaches more than 260,000 individuals annually through performances and education programs. The series concerts (Masterworks, Pops, Chamber, and Family Series) are the critical underpinning of the orchestra’s artistic mission and regularly draw people from 135 postal zip codes. Education programs, student performances, and community concerts are held in schools, neighborhood churches, performing arts centers, and community facilities throughout the region; many are offered at no charge or provided at a reduced fee to help expand participation.
