Meet the fifth of our 2026 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year nominees — Raquel McIntosh from Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School in Hamilton, ON.

The MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Anthem Entertainment, recognizes and honours exceptional Canadian music teachers annually.

Tune in to The 2026 JUNO Awards on Sunday, March 29 where the winner will be announced, and on our website & social media platforms @MusiCounts.

What is the music program like at your school? And how did MusiCounts make an impact on those programs?

The music program at my school is currently in a season of transformation. This year brought a significant structural shift, including the loss of a dedicated music classroom and a move to teaching from a cart. MusiCounts has played a pivotal role at three key moments in my career. The first was when I stepped into my very first permanent, full-time instrumental music position in the Toronto District School Board at Elia Middle School. My predecessor had received a MusiCounts grant, which meant I walked into a program with workable, quality equipment—an in-tune piano, an electric keyboard, a solid drum kit, and playable band instruments. Because of the grant, I was able to support over 200 students who participated in extracurricular performing arts per year, such as our Glee Club, Festival Choirs, Concert Band, Pit Band, Music Tech and Stage Crew, African Drum and Dance, Strings Ensemble, to name a few. We were invited to perform at the prestigious Massey Hall on three occasions:

• 2014 EMS Steel Pan Ensemble (in collaboration with Mr. Salmon Cupid of Toronto All Stars Steel Orchestra (TASSO))
• 2016 EMS Escola de Samba and Vocal Ensemble
• 2018 EMS Cuban Ensemble (in collaboration with Mr. Kurt McIntosh - Co- Arranger, Jazz Musician and Instrumental-Music Educator & renowned percussionist and Master Rumbero, Joaquin Nuñez Hidalgo.)

The second time was when I applied for and received a MusiCounts grant while teaching in Hamilton as a long-term occasional teacher at Viola Desmond Elementary School. Receiving this grant meant that we could re-launch the instrumental program post-covid lockdown era. Most recently, receiving the MusiCounts Innovative Fund at a moment when I was feeling discouraged reignited hope. While we may not have a traditional band program this year, these resources will allow my amazing students at Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School to better create through composition, arranging, production, and storytelling. My Grade 7 and 8 students are currently engaged in a program I designed called Beyond the Soundtrack, part of a broader school initiative, Creative Minds, developed in collaboration with my colleagues, where storytelling, emotion, and lived experience become the foundation for musical creation. MusiCounts has affirmed that even in transition, our students deserve excellence.

What does it mean to you to be nominated for the 2026 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award?

I feel deeply honoured and grateful to be nominated among world-class music-educators doing meaningful, transformative work across our communities in this great nation, Canada. While the recognition is exciting and validating, at the end of the day, this really isn’t about me. This platform is a team effort, and I get to be a part of it in the now. I receive this nomination as an opportunity to advocate for our students, our colleagues, and music education across our Canada—affirming that music education, whether in a dedicated space or on cart- offers joy, belonging, growth and possibility. Being nominated also allows me to shine a light on the vital role that MusiCounts plays in ensuring students have access to creative, expressive, and life-shaping opportunities, tools, resources, and instruments. We all have a role in making room for this work to continue. Time to amplify and advance it.

Do you have a music teacher or mentor that has inspired you?

No one’s musical journey is shaped by a single person; it is built over time. Three foundational mentors who helped shape both my musicianship and my identity as an educator are Andrew, Mr. Paul Llew-Williams, and Rev. Dr. Denise Gillard. My very first music teacher, my piano teacher Andrew, laid the foundation. His patience, consistency, and belief in me carried me from childhood lessons through competitions, performances, and into university. He never gave up on me—even when I didn’t practice. Another defining mentor was Mr. Paul Llew-Williams, my high school music teacher at T. L. Kennedy Secondary School in Mississauga, who saw something in me before I could see it myself. He modelled what it meant to be a working musician and an honest educator. I am also deeply grateful for Rev. Dr. Denise Gillard, Founder and Executive Artistic Director of The HopeWorks Connection, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth through the performing arts, academic development, and poverty alleviation. Through her visionary leadership, I received rigorous training in musicianship, leadership, and production. This training took place within the HWC’s premier program, TC3 – The Toronto Children’s Concert Choir & Performing Arts Company, serving youth ages 7 to 18 across the Greater Toronto Area. TC3 promotes holistic development through inspirational song, dance, and Afro-Caribbean drumming while maintaining first-rate performance standards. During this time, I progressed through increasing levels of leadership and ultimately served as General Music Director for The HopeWorks Connection, helping shape the organization’s musical vision and production. I learned what it truly means to align equity with excellence—holding young people to the highest artistic standards while honouring their lived experiences, culture, and voice. These are legacies I strive to pass on to my students.

What are you looking forward to doing at the 2026 JUNO Awards in Hamilton?

As a proud Hamiltonian and HWDSB educator, hosting the JUNOs feels personal. Hamilton is a world-class city rich in creativity, culture, and community, and I’m excited to see it celebrated on a national stage. I look forward to connecting with artists, honouring excellence in music, and representing this incredible city loudly and proudly—inviting the world to see what we already know: Hamilton is something special.

*This interview was edited for clarity.