This is the twelfth year the Music Educator Award has been presented, and now 10 of the winners have been members of NAfME: Kent Knappenberger (2014); Jared Cassedy (2015); Phillip Riggs (2016); Keith Hancock (2017); Melissa Salguero (2018); Jeffery Redding (2019); Mickey Smith Jr. (2020); Pamela Dawson (2023); Annie Ray (2024); and now Adrian Maclin (2025).
HERNDON, Va., Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) congratulates NAfME member Adrian L. Maclin on being honored with the 2025 Music Educator AwardTM, a much-deserved honor presented by The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY MuseumTM. This is the twelfth year the Music Educator Award has been presented, and now 10 of the winners have been members of NAfME: Kent Knappenberger (2014); Jared Cassedy (2015); Phillip Riggs (2016); Keith Hancock (2017); Melissa Salguero (2018); Jeffery Redding (2019); Mickey Smith Jr. (2020); Pamela Dawson (2023); Annie Ray (2024); and now Adrian Maclin (2025).
"Adrian Maclin exemplifies dedication, selflessness, and excellence in his professional life," said NAfME President Deb Confredo. "We at the National Association for Music Education extend our deepest congratulations to our friend and fellow NAfME member on a most deserved honor. Maclin's work as an outstanding high school choir director touches his students in ways that will continue to be evident in their lives for years to come. He instills in them a sense of worth, pride, and distinction. We know the truly magnificent benefits of ongoing and systematic music instruction; it is life changing. Adrian uses his talents to bring those benefits to all of his students as he shapes their lives. Those students will graduate and go into the world having grown not only musically but in life skills; this will go before them into adulthood. Maclin is an exceptional music educator who makes a difference to young people every single day. Thank you, Adrian!"
Adrian Maclin is Director of Choirs at Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee. According to Memphis-Shelby County Schools: "For nearly 20 years, Maclin has prepared his choir students to perform, offering them opportunities to sing nationwide. He emphasizes the importance of academics, encouraging his students to excel in music and academics."
"For Maclin, he's happy to have been a part of their journey," reported "CBS This Morning." "It's the joy of seeing them be successful, knowing that the little part that I did made a change in your life," shared Maclin. "We don't refer to ourselves as a choir class. We refer to ourselves as a choir family."
"He's given me life lessons. It's not just about choir," said Jo Aguilar, a student at Cordova High School, in the interview with "CBS This Morning." To Maclin, Aguilar said, "Thank you for believing in a kid who probably sometimes didn't believe himself." Another student, Sean Hunt, was skeptical when he first entered Maclin's classroom. He soon found himself "singing everything," and now plans to go into music education. "That brings tears to my eyes when he told me that at the beginning of the school year," Maclin said of Hunt.
NAfME congratulates Adrian Maclin on this distinguished recognition. He is an exemplary music educator, and NAfME applauds his dedication to ensuring every student is seen, feels a sense of belonging, thrives and finds success. Adrian Maclin was acknowledged on the GRAMMY Award broadcast Sunday, February 2, 2025.
The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum launched the Music Educator Award to bring attention to the excellent and impactful work being done by thousands of music teachers across the United States. This award recognizes current educators (kindergarten through college, public and private schools) 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 our schools.
In this twelfth year of the award, eight of the 10 finalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award are members of NAfME. All of these teachers' positive impact on their students' lives and work to make music education accessible to every student is invaluable. Nominations for the 2026 Music Educator Award are being accepted through March 15, and teacher application submissions are due March 31: bit.ly/GRAMMYMEA.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is a collaborative community that supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to music education. The only association that addresses all aspects of music education, NAfME, together with its affiliated state music education associations, advocates at the national, state, and local levels and provides resources and opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators. Founded in 1907 and representing more than 57,000 members teaching millions of students, NAfME advances the music education profession and promotes lifelong experiences in music.
Follow NAfME on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme) and Instagram (instagram.com/nafme).
Media Contact
Catherina Hurlburt, National Association for Music Education, 571-323-3395, [email protected], https://nafme.org
Kim Henry, National Association for Music Education, 703-860-4000, [email protected], https://nafme.org
SOURCE National Association for Music Education
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