M-DCPS Celebrates Two Music Teachers and a Female Vocal Ensemble, Now Semifinalists for a GRAMMY®

A female vocal ensemble from Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) magnet school, Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer is currently on the official first-round ballot in the category of “Best Choral Performance” at the 68th Annual GRAMMY® Awards for their live album “Bellarmonia National ACDA 2025.” If nominated, the group would be the first public high school ensemble to earn this honor.

Additionally, Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer Choral Director Cindy Ellis, and South Miami Senior High School Magnet Band Director Jennifer Jimenez are both semifinalists for the GRAMMY®  2026 Music Educator Award.

The vocal group, Bellarmonia, is vying for a nomination for their stunning performance of the Simon and Garfunkel song “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” along with four other pieces in their set that took place at the American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA) Conference in Dallas this past March. The 24 girls, ranging in age from 14 to 18, first performed the song at the event before an audience of 5,000. Since then, the electrifying performance has gone viral, capturing the hearts of music lovers worldwide and garnering over 40 million views across various platforms. 

“Their live performance was so inspiring. The audience loved it,” said one of the school’s choir directors, Ryan Ellis. “They brought the house down with their attention to detail and the harmonies they achieved. People were amazed at how these kids could be singing that well at such a young age.”

After the conference, the recording was professionally mixed and mastered at the school’s recording studio and released through their nonprofit recording label, MAS Records. GRAMMY® winning saxophonist and school advisory board member Ed Calle suggested submitting the impactful performance for consideration. Final nominations will be announced on November 7, 2025.

One of the group’s soloists, Gabriella Marquez, received so much attention that she was invited to perform in Carnegie Hall in June. The group has also been invited to perform at conferences and events all over the country as far ahead as 2027 and has received an all-expenses-paid invitation to perform in South Korea. 

This past weekend, they appeared at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, having been personally invited by singer and songwriter Jacob Collier, whose harmonized version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” won a Grammy earlier this year in the “Best Arrangement” Category.

Miami Arts Studio 6-12@Zelda Glazer is one of 121 M-DCPS schools and more than 350 magnet programs spanning Pre-K through 12th grade in areas ranging from fine arts, dance, and music programs to language programs, law academies and robotics.  

Applications are accepted exclusively through the M-DCPS Parent Portal at dadeschools.net. The application window is open annually from October 1 to January 15. For more information, visit miamimagnets.org.

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