Thanks to concertgoers who sent the video, including John Severson, whose clip is above. It’s from last night’s Climate Pledge Arena concert with music legend Barry Manilow, who honored West Seattle High School music educator Ethan Thomas as the latest winner of a $10,000 grant from his Manilow Music Project, which the superstar singer said has given out $10 million to help buy instruments and cover other costs of music education. As you’ll hear Manilow explain in the video, they’ve been asking music students in cities on his concert tour to vote for music teachers to win the award. The award was first announced in a WSHS newsletter before school got out for the summer (thanks to the parent who forwarded it):
Congratulations to WSHS Band Director Ethan Thomas, who won the Barry Manilow Music Project’s Outstanding Music Teacher Contest! Mr. Thomas will be honored on July 12 during Barry Manilow’s Last Arena Tour. He will receive $5,000 in new instruments for the WSHS music program.
The award turned out to be $10,000!
