2024 James Madison University VMEA Music Awards

We present this award to an individual who has provided outstanding leadership and service to the music education profession and JMU in the following ways:

• Excellence in leadership in music education at the local, state, or national level
• Significant recognized service to the JMU School of Music and its music education program

J.R. Snow currently serves as the Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts for Harrisonburg City Public Schools in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a position he has held since 2011. In this role, he supports K-12 Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts, Arts Integration, and the 9-12 Creative Arts Academy. Before his administrative appointment in Harrisonburg, J.R. taught music at Harrisonburg High School, at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he was nominated for the Washington Post Agnes Meyer Teacher of the Year award, and at Highland Spring High School in Richmond, Virginia, where he was a finalist for Henric County First Year Teacher of the Year.

J.R. earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1999 from James Madison University, and then returned to his alma mater for his Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting in 2008. He has contributed to his alma mater as a member of the James Madison University Alumni Board of Directors, adjunct faculty in the College of Education, a staff member with the Marching Royal Dukes, the on-court voice for JMU Men's and Women's Basketball, and for 29 years as an instructor at the JMU Summer Band Camps.

J.R. founded SLG, a leadership empowerment organization dedicated to educating, motivating, cultivating, and celebrating quality leadership. He has held leadership roles as the lead music consultant for the Virginia Department of Education's K-12 Music Standards Revision in 2020, a National Endowment for the Arts Education Grant Panelist, a Strategic Planning Leadership Facilitator for the Kennedy Center Education Department, and has served as leadership faculty at the Music for All Summer Symposium. 

In addition to his educational roles, J.R. serves in nonprofit arts management as the Executive Director of the Virginia Music Educators Association and the Kennedy Center's Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Initiative. He has been a board member for The Arts Council of the Shenandoah Valley and currently serves on the board for Virginia Public Media. He has also been involved in church music and youth leadership in Richmond, Alexandria, and Harrisonburg. 

J.R. is grateful for the support, love, and energy his wife and three children bring to his work, helping him find opportunities to share his passion for creativity, leadership, and youth empowerment.

J.R. Snow finds joy in life communicating and collaborating with passionate people through the lens of education, service, and growth, a role he has engaged in for the last 25 years. J.R. is proud to live in and serve his vibrant home community of Harrisonburg, Virginia, through music, creativity, education, leadership, philanthropy, business, and ministry. J.R. hopes to continue to challenge himself in new collaborative experiences where he will listen and find places to share his passion and energy in an effort to move people and organizations to productive acction. J.R. is a father to three children and is most proud of the work he and his wife do to teach them about service, hope, love, compassion, and dreaming.

We present this award to a JMU undergraduate or graduate music education alumnus or alumna in years three, four, or five of his or her teaching career and who exemplifies JMU's commitment to musicianship and pedagogy. This recipient demonstrates:

• Effective, comprehensive, innovative teaching
• Service to and emerging leadership in the profession of music education
• Continuing relationship with and support of the music education program at JMU

Jordan Wright is an accomplished music educator with a rich academic and professional background. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from James Madison University in 2020, Ms. Wright went on to complete a Master's degree in Music Education at University College London in 2021. Currently, Ms. Wright is pursuing a Master's degree in Orchestral Conducting at Shenandoah University under the mentorship of Dr. Emanuele Andrizzi.

Ms. Wright serves as the director of orchestras at Smart's Mill Middle School, where she has led 8th grade orchestra ensembles to achieve superior ratings at state assessments while performing at a VBODA grade 3 level. In order to further enrich her students, she has created several after-school events, including a free private tutoring event for students with financial need. Her dedication to student success is further demonstrated through organizing international travel experiences for students to explore music from diverse cultures.

A committed volunteer, Ms. Wright is involved with JMU's Spring String Thing, acts as a guest clinician and judge around Northern Virginia, and regularly presents research at national conferences on topics such as classroom management, teacher wellness, and child music development. This year, Ms. Wright will be conducting at Shenandoah University's Strings Day, showcasing her expertise and passion for orchestral music.

We present this award to a JMU undergraduate or graduate music education alumnus or alumna who has taught for at least ten years and who exemplifies JMU's commitment to musicianship and pedagogy. The recipient demonstrates:

• Excellence in music teaching, including the development of comprehensive, innovative programs and curricula
• Service to and sustained leadership in the profession of music education
• Continuing relationship with and support of the music education program at JMU

Kathleen Jacoby has taught high school band since graduating JMU in 2004, most recently at Herndon High School for the past 17 years. Kathleen was a 2023 Washington Post "Teacher of the Year" finalist and the 2022 Fairfax County Public Schools Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year. She has served as an elected member of the VBODA Executive Board since 2020. She is a Conn Selmer VIP and a member of Phi Beta Mu. In 2021, she was awarded the WBDI "Scroll of Excellence," and in 2019 the Stars Over Dulles "Leadership in Arts" Dulles Chamber of Commerce designation. In 2014, she received commendations from the Town of Herndon and Fairfax County School Board. In both 2010 and again in 2017, Mrs. Jacoby was recognized by the School Band and Orchestra Magazine as "50 Music Teachers to Watch."

Under Kathleen's direction, Herndon represented the United States at the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, has twice represented Virginia at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Parade in Honolulu, Hawai'i, and is the only band to ever perform at the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters. In 2014 and again in 2019, the United States House of Representatives issued a commendation to recognize the outstanding work of The Pride. The Pride performed in the NATO parade in 2018, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade in 2017, the National Cherry Blossom Parade in 2016, Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios in 106, and the Disney Electric Light Parade in April 2014. Mrs. Jacoby coordinates an extensive community network to secure funding for ALL students to participate in these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. 

This award is named for Dr. Alice M. Hammel in honor of her rich and varied contributions to fostering inclusive music experiences through which all learners can be supported, challenged, and grow. The award is presented to individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to supporting and facilitating music learning and music making among persons in often-marginalized populations through:

• Developing adaptive, accommodative, and flexible pedagogical practices to support all persons
• Pursuing scholarly inquiry into issues of difference, diversity, and inclusion that positively impacts the lives of all persons
• Engaging with and in music learning and making communities to advocate for accessible and meaningful musical experiences for and with all persons to create, perform, and respond to music

Annie Ray currently serves as both the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School (AHS) in the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. Annie is an advocate for providing universal access to quality music education and is known for founding and developing creative opportunities to make music accessible to students of all demographics.

Her establishmnet of the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education Parent Orchestra annually teachers about 225 caregivers in FCPS to learn to play their child's instrument and provides mentorship to upcoming music teachers. Annie also founded the Crescendo Orchestra program to make Orchestra curriculum accessible to students with significant developmental or intellectual disabilities. In April 2020, TEDx invited Annie to give the talk, The Sounds of Success, based on her approach in the classroom and what it means to meet all students where they are at. 

Annie is a highly sought after keynote speaker at national and international conferences, regular guest lecturer and artist-in-residence at the collegiate level, and an impactful performing arts advocate. Her accolades include being named the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award recipient and the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year for her work with historically resilient communities and equity in education. Annie is a co-founder of Motherhood and Music Education and is a member of the StringRise professional development team.

Her mentors include Dennis Langevin, Brian Coatney, Dr. Elizabeth Chappell, Dr. Jaymee Haefner, and Naoko Nakamura. She is an active professional harpist, proud University of North Texas alumna, and currently resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, Dr. Irving Ray, and their daughters, Eloise and Millie. Annie is an adventurer at heart, and her biggest bucket list item is to one day win The Amazing Race.

We present this award to an individual who has provided outstanding service as a mentor for JMU music students and student teachers through:

• A sustained record of excellence in mentoring JMU music students and student teachers
• A sustained record of interfacing and communicating with JMU student teaching supervisors
• A model of excellence in classroom teaching, recognized at the local and/or state level

Laura Rikkers is in her first year teaching general music classes and assisting with the band program at Harrisonburg High School in Harrisonburg, Virginia. For the past 11 years, Ms. Rikkers has been the Director of Bands at Staunton High School in Staunton, Virginia. Prior to teaching in Staunton City Schools, she was the Director of Bands at East Rockingham High School and Elkton Middle School (Elkton, Vrginia), Riverbend High School (Fredericksburg, Virginia), and at West Point High & Middle Schools (West Point, Virginia). She is a member of the Virginia Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, Kappa Kappa Psi, is an Honorary Member of Tau Beta Sigma, and in 2024, will be inducted into Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. In 2022, she was recognized as the Virginia District 5 Educator of the Year. She performs in the Valley Wind Ensemble, is an active member of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association, and has served three terms as Secretary for the Virginia Music Educators Association. Ms. Rikkers earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Music Performance (Wind Conducting) from James Madison University.