Keith Hancock

In 2017, Keith Hancock won the Grammy Music Educator Award. He has helped to foster the musical education of thousands of students over the last fifteen years. Many of his music students have gone on to find careers in music, and many more have included music in their lives alongside whatever career path they have chosen. Through their musical education, his students have been taught life skills they have been able to apply to their work and relationships. They have been taught teamwork, resilience in the face of setbacks, the power of hard work, empathy, global citizenship, and creative expression through their experiences in my music classroom.

The graduation rate for the state of California is 83% – for Keith’s students it is 99%. He believes students who are involved in a quality music education program are far less likely to dropout of school because they have a sense of belonging to something incredibly important in their lives. For many of his students, music is what gets them out of bed and going to school each day.

Over 90% of his students go on to study at a post-secondary educational program. 10% of his graduating seniors go on to study music in some capacity at the university level, and another 40% will make music in collegiate, professional, and community ensembles and organizations.

Keith teaches the high-powered, career-based skills of audio engineering, synthesis, songwriting, arranging, and DJ skills, all with the goal of meeting the needs of the kids who are normally excluded from a school music program because of their varied interests.