(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT - Jan. 28, 2026) — Coronado High School graduate Amanda Ekery has officially reached music’s biggest stage with a recent nomination for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. The 2012 alumna is being recognized in the Best Album Notes category for her project Árabe, a deeply personal work rooted in her El Paso upbringing.
Ekery said her latest album explores shared Syrian and Mexican history and culture, with strong ties to El Paso. The nomination marks a major milestone in her career as a composer, educator, and socially engaged artist.
“I don’t think I ever fully imagined music as a career when I was younger,” Ekery said. “But once I started learning all the different ways people work in the music industry, it really opened my eyes to what was possible.”
During Ekery’s time at Coronado, she immersed herself in the school’s music programs, serving as a drum major in marching band and performing as a flutist in concert band, orchestra, and jazz band, while also playing piano.
A turning point came early in high school, when longtime Coronado band director Kenny Capshaw encouraged her to give band “one more semester.”
“That one semester turned into my entire high school experience,” Ekery said. “Mr. Capshaw pushed us, challenged us, and held us accountable, while also making music something joyful. He really instilled a work ethic that I still carry with me.”
After graduating from Coronado, Ekery pursued music studies at the University of North Texas, later building a multifaceted career that spans composition, performance, teaching, and community engagement. She now teaches songwriting, voice, piano, and socially engaged artistry at Fordham University and The New School in New York City.
Her Grammy-nominated album, Árabe, was released in May and includes 12 original songs accompanied by written essays that document years of research. Ekery spent significant time working with the Syrian Ladies Club of El Paso, weaving family history and regional culture into the project.
“The album is really about where I’m from,” Ekery said. “Growing up in El Paso, you’re exposed to so many musical traditions — mariachi, jazz, norteño, country — and all of that shapes what you create, whether you realize it at the time or not.”
Despite living in New York since 2018, Ekery remains closely connected to her hometown. Each summer, she helps lead El Paso Jazz Girls, a cost-free program that introduces middle and high school girls to jazz, songwriting, and the many career paths available in music.
“I always tell students that you don’t have to fit into one box,” Ekery said. “You can be a performer, a composer, a teacher, a technician, a producer — there’s room for so many different talents in the music world.”
As she prepares to attend her first Grammy Awards, Ekery says she’s excited to take in the experience and represent El Paso on a national stage while continuing to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Her journey, rooted in EPISD classrooms and shaped by dedicated educators, stands as a powerful reminder that creativity, perseverance, and community can carry students far beyond the school walls.