LAUREL, Md. — When you say D.C., most people probably don’t immediately think musical genius. But when the Grammy Awards air Sunday night, nearly a dozen locals will be up for awards.
One finalist was an incredibly talented Laurel teacher. Tony Small was up for music educator of the year. CBS Mornings announced Thursday that a choir director from Texas won, but Small's story is still inspiring.
"Ready! One, two, three, let’s go!" announced Small, as his beginning piano class launches into "Joy to the World."
Small has brought an insane amount of joy to the world.
"I’m really proud of him, and I’m thankful for him," said 17-year-old Jacob Wright, a senior at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel.
In 35 years of teaching across four different cities, Small has touched thousands of students.
"Not only just piano, but how to be a successful man," 15-year-old Nathaniel Francis, a sophomore at St. Vincent Pallotti.
For the last few years, the 60-year-old teacher has been director of the private Catholic school's Arts Academy, which aims to integrate the arts with academics and Catholic faith.
"It’s just amazing for someone who is just so humble," Principal Jeff Palumbo said of Small. "You’d never know being around Tony what he’s achieved and what he’s done in this business."
The Grammy judges selected Small as one of the 10 finalists for the 2023 Music Educator.
"This was the first time since I’ve been here that an educator of the year finalist was from here," said Sharon Ingram, executive director of The Recording Academy's DC chapter. [We're] so thrilled [and] excited!"
The award comes with a $10,000 prize for the winner and a matching grant for the school's music program. The other nine finalists get $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for the school.
"The annual Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools," according to The Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys.
"I got an email and I thought it was a scam," Small said. "You don't become an educator simply to get a Grammy."
Small learned piano at the age of four and started as a paid church music director at age 11. He has lectured on integrating the arts, math, and science at The National Academies, and won national awards for composing and lyrics in jazz, gospel, classical, and music theater. The teacher has created music videos, composed for the Boys and Girls Clubs, written an opera, and collaborated with opera diva Denyce Graves. And throughout his career he's used music to help teach math, science and language literacy, often at schools where the arts we're starving for resources.
"3/4 time, 4/4 time, should be every kid’s introduction to fractions," Small said. "Math is music. Music is math....Music just makes a person whole."
And Tony Small has made a whole lot of young people whole.