And the Grammy may go to ... Penn Forest Township woman nominated for prestigious award

When people think of the Grammy Awards they think of their favorite musicians and singers walking the red carpet dressed in their finest.

Or maybe they think of J.Lo in that plunging green number by Versace in 2000.

Most likely you're not thinking of your school orchestra director or choral director. And you're certainly not thinking about that poor woman who patiently pointed out to you for the 100th time where middle C was on the old piano in your family's living room.

Luckily, the folks who bring you the Grammy Awards see it differently.

"For every performer who makes it to the Grammy stage, there was a teacher who played a critical role in getting them there," says the Grammy Music Educator Award website.

Enter Debra Reilly, a musician, teacher and educator, who has been nominated and a quarterfinalist for a Grammy Award as a music educator for the second year in a row.

Reilly, who resides in Penn Forest Streams with her husband, Michael, was nominated by one of her students, Taylor Brown. Brown is a junior at Parkland High School where she plays the bass.

"When I was young, I thought I wanted to just be a full-time performer," says Reilly. "But I had a teacher who told me that if I really loved it, then I needed to share it and I needed to teach it."

Music has always been a part of Reilly's life. Growing up in Philadelphia, she got her degree in viola performance from the College of Performing Arts in Philadelphia. She followed up with a teaching degree from Moravian College and a master's from Gratz College. She has been teaching music since 1981.

In 2005 she took a job with the Parkland School District, where she is currently employed as the middle school orchestra and strings director.

"When I started at Parkland, that first year I had 40 students; this coming year I will have 309 students," she said.

Reilly believes that music is the "universal language."

"For some children music is their entire life. It is such an important subject," she explains.

"Music teaches discipline. Not everyone who studies music will be a professional or a teacher, but they hopefully will become as passionate as I am."

Reilly practices what she preaches. Besides teaching full time at Parkland, Reilly has a number of private students.

In addition she performs with the Allentown Symphony and performs freelance whenever the opportunity arises.

She practices on average three hours a day.

As for the Grammy nomination, once a teacher has been chosen as a quarterfinalist they must submit three videos to the selection committee. The first video addresses the educator's "Proudest Moment."

"My proudest moment, is always the same," says Reilly. "It's standing on that stage the night of the performance and seeing the joy in the faces of my students."

The second video asks the educator to explain how they are making a measurable difference in the lives of their students and their surrounding community. The third video shows seven minutes of Reilly teaching one of her orchestras.

All of the videos had to be submitted by June 11. Now Reilly has to sit back and wait along with the other 216 quarterfinalists.

In September the semifinalists will be notified and the 10 finalists will be announced the first week in December.

The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the Grammy-week functions and to walk the red carpet.

Each of the 10 finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium. The winner will receive the Grammy Award along with a check for $10,000 with an additional check going toward music education in their school district.

Reilly is excited about the prospect of walking that red carpet and bringing home the award, but she clearly keeps things in perspective.

"I feel perfectly balanced in my life," she said.

"I am teaching and performing, but I am able to share what I know, to pass it on to the kids and that is the most important part of what I do."