Barbershop youth quartet director Keith Hancock wins GRAMMY Educator of the Year

Rancho Santa Margarita's Tesoro High School choral teacher Keith Hancock -- who has directed three barbershop quartets to championships in the Barbershop Harmony Society's Youth Barbershop Quartet contest -- scored the honor of music educator of the year at the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards. 

Hancock was told by Neil Portnow, president and chief executive of the Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation, that he had been chosen out of more than 3,300 nominations nationwide. In addition to the recognition, Hancock and Tesoro High each were awarded $10,000. 

This is Hancock's first educator of the year award, though it's not the first time the Grammy Foundation has recognized his work. Hancock was nominated in 2016 and was selected as a top 10 finalist.

In 15 years of teaching choral music at Tesoro High, which was selected as a Grammy Signature School in 2015, Hancock has grown his program from 35 students to 225 and from two choirs to nine.

Hancock's choirs have twice been invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association's Western Division conference. They've performed in Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland and Carnegie Hall in New York. In April, he will take his Madrigals group to France, Germany and Luxembourg, a trip that includes a concert at Notre Dame and exchanges with local groups.

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