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Toledo Symphony

Outstanding Music Educator of the Year Award

Congrats to our OMEYA Winner Michelle Keaster!

As part of our celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, we are thrilled to announce Michelle Keaster from Monclova Christian Academy as this year’s Outstanding Music Educator of the Year. This award will provide her students with tickets to a Masterworks or Young People’s Performance next season, along with an ensemble visit.
 
The other finalists include Frank Ramon (Waite HS), Nick Van Vorhis (St. John’s Jesuit), and Ryan Williams (Perrysburg Schools). We are deeply grateful to all of our music educators for their dedication and for inspiring the next generation of musicians.
 
This year's award was presented by TSO bassist Bill McDevitt in honor of his grade school teacher—a reminder that every musician’s journey begins somewhere!
 

Michelle Keaster has been teaching since the age of 16 when she taught her first private flute lesson. She has maintained her flute studio and is currently in her 17th year at Monclova Christian Academy where she teaches kindergarten – 12th grade general music, choir, and band. Prior to MCA, her teaching experience included four years at Bowling Green Christian Academy teaching kindergarten – 8th grades and 3 years as the assistant flute instructor at Wichita State University. Michelle earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education with a Vocal Certification and a Bachelor’s of Music – Flute Performance from the University of Central Missouri. She completed her Masters of Music – Flute Performance from Wichita State University.

Michelle’s students have performed at Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Royal Festival Hall in London. Bands, choirs, soloists, and ensembles under her direction have consistently received Superior and Excellent ratings at various music festivals for the last 15 years. Monclova Christian Academy was awarded the 2025 Support Music Merit Award from the North American Music Merchants Foundation. The award is given to schools for their commitment to music education. This is the eleventh consecutive year the school has received this award.

Michelle is a member of Ohio Music Educators Association, American Choral Directors Association, Ohio Choral Directors Association, American Orff-Schulwerk Association, and Northwest Ohio Orff Chapter #90.

When Michelle is not teaching, she likes to spend her time as a freelance flutist, cheering on her hometown Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, traveling, and spending time with her TSO double bass husband, Aaron, and TSYO oboist daughter, Kaelee.

About OMEYA

The Toledo Symphony Outstanding Music Educator of the Year Award celebrates one deserving music teacher in our region through a process of nominations and community voting. At Live Arts Toledo, we recognize the important role music teachers play in the lives of the students they teach. Music teachers introduce, instill, and cultivate a love of music that surpasses the time spent in the classroom. They lay the foundation for a lifetime appreciation that serves to perpetuate the artforms we also strive to continue. The educator with the most votes receives:

  • Special recognition by the Toledo Symphony at a Masterworks concert. 
  • Complimentary tickets to one (1) Toledo Symphony Young People's Concert or one (1) Masterworks concert for the winner's entire class (up to 50 students).
  • One (1) complimentary ensemble presentation for the winner’s classroom or school. 
  • Award recognition on Live Arts Toledo social media pages and a press release announcement.