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​Cedar Valley College music instructor Dr. Mike Bogle has been named a quarterfinalist for the 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award.

​Contact: Debra Dennis
214-378-1851 or ddennis@dcccd.edu

For immediate release — Sept. 19, 2016

(DALLAS) — Dr. Mike Bogle is a bandleader, trombonist, pianist, composer, college music professor and, with any luck, may add the title “2017 Grammy Award winner” to that list.

The Cedar Valley College music instructor has been named a quarterfinalist for next year’s Grammy Music Educator Award. Bogle is one of 290 quarterfinalists from 264 cities across 41 states who have been recognized by the Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation, which present the award. The honor recognizes the contributions of educators from kindergarten through college at both public and private schools.

Semifinalists will be announced this month, according to a release from Grammy officials. Those 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the Grammy Foundation’s Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund and Journeys.

“Truly, I’m honored,” said Bogle. “It’s not the just the award. Sure I’d like to win. Who wouldn’t want to win? We (educators) are like unsung heroes. Teaching keeps you close to the music. You learn from the students, and they learn from you. It’s a two-way street.”

Mention the prolific music teacher’s name, and you’ll find Bogle linked to some of the most renowned, accomplished and sought-after performers in modern music. Bogle has a biography that reads like a dream. As a bandleader, pianist, vocalist and arranger, Bogle has worked with an array of artists and songwriters, including Chick Corea, Diana Ross, Tom Jones and Burt Bacharach.

Hum an obscure jazz standard, and he starts on the piano before you can sing the opening lyrics. He has served as musical director for recording artist Irene Cara, best known for “Fame.”

“Yeah, I hate the word prodigy. But when you go to the Grammys, there’s a lot of talent in that room,” said Bogle, who teaches composition, music theory and keyboard ensemble.

The Grammy Music Educator Award recognizes the talent and contributions of music teachers who have taught and nurtured students and fostered an interest in education. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, 2017 — the biggest music event of the year and one of the mostly highly rated television specials. The winner also receives a $10,000 honorarium. The 10 finalists will receive matching grants and honorariums of $1,000 each.

“This is pretty exciting,” said Dr. Kathryn Brown, Cedar Valley’s new music program coordinator. “Mike Bogle does so much. He does different genres of hip-hop, jazz and film scoring. We are thrilled for him, and we are excited that the Grammy organization is giving more attention to music education. That is wonderful.

“He exposes students to a lot of real-world scenarios. He’s aware of so much because he works in the industry, and he can share that with his students. They know how things work,” said Brown, who teaches commercial recording techniques (jingles).

Quarterfinalists Selection Is Bogle’s Second Shot at a Grammy

The Grammy nomination, a second for Bogle, is just one more accolade in a life filled with awards. Bogle was first nominated in 1992 for his arrangement of Chick Corea’s “Got a Match?”

Bogle was only 30 when he lost out and always hoped he’d get another nod — a chance to get back again. After all, creating something out of nothing is difficult but challenging. “Music is a very deep subject. There is so much to learn, and it’s so easy to criticize,” he said.

Known for his versatility and all-around talent, Bogle has performed in Portugal, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Peru, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Canada. He is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Texas Music Educators Association.

“How Long Has This Been Going on?” is a favorite piano piece. His version of “Nothing Right, Nothing Left” is a jazz-blues composition that speaks to the everyday struggles of the working man. Other standard performances include “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” a Frank Sinatra classic, and George Gershwin’s masterpiece, “Rhapsody in Blue.”

In addition to Cedar Valley, Bogle also has taught at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he served as director of music media and technology.

At Cedar Valley, he plays in the school’s Performance Hall. And he hosts a Grammy-like contest that encourages students to submit their work in various fields for recognition. Their talents range from those who master Chopin to music novices.

“My goal is to teach — not how I was taught but how I wish I had been taught,” he said. “A lot happens when you encourage your students and give them recognition.”

For more information, contact Debra Dennis in the DCCCD office of public and governmental affairs at 214-378-1851 or ddennis@dcccd.edu.

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