"Being recognized for loving to teach and for the role I've played in my students' lives is an honor," said Lopez Middle School Orchestra Director Melanie Sorgi. "I hope my love for music has been passed on to my students!"
Sorgi loves music just as much as she loves her students. She's spent 35 years teaching orchestra at North East ISD. She's been the Orchestra Director at Lopez Middle School since it opened in 2007. Before that, she worked at Driscoll and Garner middle schools.
That passion and drive to inspire her students in and out of the orchestra room caught the attention of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA). As a result, the group recently named Sorgi as the 2022 School Music Educator of the Year.
"I am so excited to be selected as the School Music Educator of the Year by the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio," said Sorgi. "I am passionate about the importance of music education in children and I've been very fortunate to have had many wonderful students and families to work with through the years."
Under her direction, the Lopez Orchestras have consistently earned Sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests and "Outstanding in Class" and "Overall Outstanding Orchestra" awards at music festival events. In addition, the Lopez Honors Orchestra was a featured ensemble at the 2018 YOSA Invitational, and the Lopez Symphony Orchestra will perform in the 2022 YOSA Invitational.
Congratulations, Melanie!
