HARRISBURG, PA – Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) Professor and Associate VP of Student Professional Development & Experiential Learning, A.J. Merlino, DMA, has received the 2025 Educator of Note Award from the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame.
Dr. A.J. Merlino is a five-time GRAMMY-nominated music educator, performer, and business strategist. In his roles at Harrisburg University, he has worked to integrate career-focused experiences with academic learning, driving student success through hands-on, real-world application. While serving as an Administrator and Professor at Albright College and Kutztown University, Merlino developed the music business and entertainment industry studies curricula.
“Music and arts education isn’t exclusively for those pursuing careers in the creative or entertainment industries,” Merlino says. “When we learn music, we gain more than technical skills; we broaden our perception of the world. They teach us empathy, creativity, and resilience – qualities that resonate in every profession and facet of life. Receiving the Educator of Note Award is an incredible honor, and a reminder of the lasting impact arts education can have.”
Merlino’s background as a touring musician and large-scale project manager informs his approach to education. He has shared the stage with Darlene Love, Eric Marienthal, Ike Willis, Jay-Z, Cee Lo Green, and Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers. He has contributed to major Las Vegas productions at venues like The Venetian, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Cosmopolitan as a music director, project manager, composer, and performer. His work includes tours and recordings with artists like Thank You Scientist, Karmic Juggernaut, and We Used to Cut the Grass. Merlino was also a quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY Foundation’s Music Educator Award in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
“This recognition reaffirms the lifelong impact of the arts in my own journey. I am reminded of the countless mentors and students who have shown me the transformative power of arts education, and it’s their passion and commitment that fuels my own. It inspires me to continue advocating for creativity in every field and supporting the programs that nurture it. To see others empowered by the arts and to play a part in that journey is both humbling and deeply motivating.”
Mr. Merlino lives in Elizabethtown, PA, with his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Autumn, whom he says inspire all the good he strives to bring to the world.
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