Bio: Frank, Marissa – Grammy Award Nomination (Jan 2023)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Frank, Pawlowicz, Palmer, Close

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 25 Jan 2023

When Marisa Frank sat in Mr. Jim Rickard’s or Toni Novak’s music classes at Abbotsford Elementary, Middle and High schools, she had no clue her love for music would eventually lead to her potentially sharing a stage with artists Beyonce, ABBA, Harry Styles or countless other musical artists.

The 2002 graduate of Abbotsford High School was notified via phone call in December that she was named one of the 10 finalists for Grammy Music Educator Award.

She said the moment she received the phone call was one she won’t soon forget.

“To say I was shocked is an understatement. The moment was surreal.”

The award has been a part of the Grammy’s since 2014 and “was established to recognize current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.”

Frank is the Music Director at the Explore Community School in Nashville, Tenn. Her students are comprised of largely diverse backgrounds and the school aims to help children in impoverished areas of Nashville reach their musical potential. Frank’s students have performed for members of the U.S. Congress, Tennessee Governor’s Office, Tennessee State Legislature, Nashville Mayor’s Office, Davidson County Metro Council and as featured guests at the Nashville Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the City of Nashville’s official Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.

Frank said the honor might be hers on the surface, but her students are the ones who have made it possible.

“I’m proud, but more than anything, I’m thrilled to be able to share this recognition with my kids, because they are the reason I do what I do,” Frank said. “I’m only half as talented as they are.”

The school infuses music into much of its curriculum. The 540 students each take vocal and instrumental lessons each week and perform together as a school every Friday, demonstrating what they’ve learned.

“We’ve infused music into every ‘nook and cranny’ of our building because we don’t believe that music is ‘just for the musically gifted,’” Frank said in her initial letter to the Grammys.

Frank said in the letter that a majority of the school’s students suffer from the effects of poverty but the school and its educators use music to help kids deal with those stressors emotionally.

“Knowing that over 75 percent of our students suffer the heartbreaking effects of poverty and have gaps in their social-emotional learning, we use music as a powerful character- building tool,” Frank said. “We use music performance as a healthy means of processing and expressing strong emotions like sadness, anger, and grief. We share our ideas, thoughts, and feelings on paper through songwriting. We journal creative ideas when we feel overwhelmed or stressed.”

The school is not for the faint at heart however. Frank describes the curriculum and classes as fun, yet rigorous. The intense practices are all a part of perfecting a message about injustices seen in the world today.

“When we see something that isn’t right in the world, we use our talents and skills to stand up and speak up,” Frank said. “We write songs that share an impactful message. We perform songs that inspire change for the greater good. We actively engage in discussions about our world and who we are to build a community of critical thinkers and ‘doers.’” Frank’s love for music has been passed onto her students and her love for music started at a young age. Growing up in Abbotsford, Frank studied classical piano performance.

“I was drawn to it. It came easily to me and I began winning awards both regionally and statewide,” Frank said.

Claire Pawlowicz, Stetsonville, served as Frank’s first piano teacher and was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of who helped Frank with her love for music. Along with Pawlowicz, Janet Palmer, Medford, and Bette Close, Wausau, also taught Frank piano along the way. The lessons learned from these instructors along with Rickard and Novak’s help in school, allowed Frank to represent the state of Wisconsin in the Music Teachers National Association piano competition at the national level.

Frank’s parents, Dr. Robin and Ruth Frank, owned Frank Chiropractic up until Robin’s retirement in 2019. They supported Marisa along the way by taking her to and from lessons, providing instruments and attending performances. After graduating high school, Frank received a full scholarship for classical piano performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Shortly after graduating from college, Frank moved to Nashville where she began teaching.

Frank said all that is left to do now is wait to see if she wins the award. If chosen, Frank would walk the same red carpet as other musical icons during the 65th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 5. If selected as the winner, Frank would earn a $10,000 award along with a matching, $10,000 grant for the Explore Community School music program.

“It’s pretty cool. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”