Professional Awards

Honourary Life Member

Recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to music education.

Honourary Life Member Award Recipients

Dr. Catherine Allison (d.1986)
Mrs. Leslie Bell
Kenneth Bray (presented at OMEA Conference ’86) (d.1999)
Jean Broadfoot (presented in Halifax CMEA/ACEM Conference ’89) Nomination (PDF file)
Beth Douglas (d.1987)
Richard Edmunds (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conference ’71)
Verla Jean Forsyth (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conference ’91)
Christopher Gledhill (d.1987)
Ada S. Hamilton
Wallace Laughton (d. 2001)
Vanett Lawlor, MENC Executive Director (deceased)
Sir Ernest MacMillan (d. 1999)
Dr. Irene MacQuillan Murphy (presented Conf. 1987) (d.1991)
Gifford Mitchell (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conference ’83)
Dr. Elizabeth Murray (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conference ’91) (d.1998)
Read more about Elizabeth Murray in Carol Harris’ book, A Sense of Themselves: Elizabeth Murray’s Leadership in School and Community (Fernwood Publishing, 1998)
Dr. Wilfred Pelletier (deceased)
Rev. Sister Mary Agnes Sesk (presented at CMEA/ACME Conference ’87)
Dr. Lloyd Slind
Dr. Paul Murray (presented at CMEA-KSC-NSMEA-KSNS Conference ’97)
Joan Therens (presented at SMEA Conference 1999)
Senator Tommy Banks (presented at the NSMEA conference, 2001)
George Bishop (presented at the OMEA conference, 2001)
Dr. Brian Roberts (presented at the NF/LAB conference, 2001)
Dennis Tupman (presented at the 2003 BCMEA Conference)
Rodger Beatty (presented at the 2002 OMEA Conference)
Ninette Babineau (presented at the 2002 NSMEA Conference)
Chalmers Doane
Dr. Betty Hanley
2013 Dr Nancy Vogan (Presented at NSMEA Conference 2013, Hammonds Plains, by Mark Reid, CMEA President and Kirsten MacLaine, CMEA Vice President)
2019 – Dr. Andrea Rose – Newfoundland & Labrador
2020 – Ki Adams – Newfoundland & Labrador
2021 -Kara Helms – Saskatchewan

Jubilate Award of Merit

This award may be granted to an individual, a group of people, an industry, foundation, institution, or other organization in recognition for a significant contribution to music education in Canada.

Jubilate Award of Merit Nomination Form

Fill Out Nomination Form

Jubilate Award of Merit Recipients

Dr. Helen Creighton first recipient (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conf.’89) (d.1989)
Dr. Sandra Davies (presented at Conf. ’91, Vancouver)
Dr. Paul Freeman (presented at BCMEA Conf. ’90 in Vancouver)
Prof. Donald A. McKellar (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conf. ’91, Vancouver)
Kaye Pottie (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conf. ’93, Waterloo)
Dr. Patricia Shand (presented at CMEA/ACEM Conf. ’93, Waterloo)
Dr. Nancy Vogan (presented at CMEA/ACEMConf.’93, Waterloo)
George Bishop (presented at OMEA-CMEA Accent ’94, London)
Sr. Blanche Gillis (presented at OMEA-CMEA Accent ’94, London)
M. Wilfred Harvey (presented at OMEA-CMEA Accent ’94, London)
Howard Saunders, Britannia Printers (presented at OMEA Conference’97)
Dr. Diana Brault (presented at OMEA Conference ’96)
Dr. Paul Green
Lois Birkenshaw-Fleming (presented at the OMEA conference, 2001)
Jan Wicha (presented at the NSMEA conference, 2001)
Sr. Rita Clare (presented at the 2002 NSMEA Conference)
Dr. Betty Hanley (presented by Gregg Bereznick at the 2004 BCMEA conference)
Peter Stigings (presented by David Ennis at the 2006 BCMEA Conference)
Dennis Tupman (presented by Alan Anderson at the 2006 BCMEA Conference)
Donna Rhodenizer (2011)
2013 Ardith Haley (Presented at NSMEA Conference 2013, Hammonds Plains, by Mark Reid, CMEA President and Kirsten MacLaine, CMEA Vice President)
2021 – Lesley Ann Andrews

Builders Award

The Builders Awards seek to recognize those who advance music education in any Canadian province, through building community or establishing significant collaborative efforts. There are two awards: CMEA/Acme Builders Award and the CMEA/Acme Builders Award for Newer Teachers.

Builders Award Recipients

2012 – Francis Seaton, George Douglas, Andrew Legany
2013 – Bill Kristjanson, Gabriela Gallo
2014 – Peggy Bochun, Ken Epp, Stephanie Poulin
2015 – Eric Marshall, Matt Abraham, Holly Nimmons
2015 – Cmdr Chris Hadfield
2015 – Coalition for Music Education
2016 – Joan Linklater, Jordan Laidlaw
2017 – Henry Engbrecht, Matt Careless – Manitoba
2017 – Kevin Merkley – Ontario
2017 – Wendy Rigby – Saskatchewan
2017 – Sara Comerford – Newfoundland & Labrador
2018 – Chris Miller, Vincenza Etchegary – Newfoundland & Labrador
2018 – Kendra Norman – Saskatchewan
2018 – Michael Doogan-Smith – British Columbia
2018 – June Morrow, Naommi Garrett – Manitoba
2019 – Judy Giesbrecht – Manitoba
2019 – Darren White – Newfoundland & Labrador
2019 – Monica MacNeil – Nova Scotia
2019 – Michael Kurpjuweit – Saskatchewan
2020 – Janet Wade – British Columbia
2020 – Christin Reardon MacLellan – British Columbia
2020 – Susanne O’Keefe – Newfoundland & Labrador
2020 – Andrew Mercer – Newfoundland & Labrador
2020 – Kristian Butt – New Teacher Builder – Newfoundland & Labrador
2020 – Lynn Gracey – Ontario
2020 – Dr. Rodger Beatty – Ontario
2020 – Randy Haley – Manitoba
2020 – Derek Klassen – Manitoba
2020 – Yvonne Kurpjuweit – Saskatchewan
2021 – Rob Lee – Newfoundland & Labrador
2021 – Andreanne Hetu – Manitoba
2021 – Kelli Brewer – Nova Scotia
2022 – Isaac Moore – Ontario
2022 – Maureen Dunn – Nova Scotia
2022 – Stephen Hartlen – Nova Scotia
2022 – The OMEA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee – Ontario
2022 – Andrea Lane-Gardner – Newfoundland & Labrador
2022 – Justin Fraser – Manitoba
2023 – Ann Lundrigan – Newfoundland & Labrador
2023 – Robin Alcorn-Martin – Nova Scotia
2023 – Nancy Fitzgerald – Nova Scotia
2023 – Delicia Raveenthrarajan – Ontario

Builders Award for Newer Teachers Recipients

2012 – Andrew Legany (Manitoba)
2013 – Gabby Gallo (Manitoba)
2014 – Amanda McArthur (Saskatchewan)
2014 – Stephanie Poulin (Manitoba)
2019 – Justin La – Saskatchewan
2019 – Emma House – Newfoundland & Labrador
2019 – John Hodge – Manitoba
2020 – Kristian Butt – Newfoundland & Labrador
2021 – Joanna Barker – Newfoundland & Labrador
2021 – Cameron Baggins – Manitoba
2023 – Cecely Gilby – Nova Scotia
2023 – Jillian McLeod – Saskatchewan

Executive Award

(Executive Award has been discontinued as of 2018)

Executive Award Past Recipients

Alan Janzen, Secretary-Treasurer (Presented at MMEA, 1991)
Ninette Babineau, Member-at-Large (Presented by NSMEA, 1991)
Nancy Vogan, Member-at-Large (Presented by NBMEA, 1991)
Paul Maynard, Past President (Presented by BCMEA, 1992)
Joan Therens, Past President (Presented by CMEA, Conference 1993)
Pat Stefanchuk, Secretary-Treasurer (Presented by MMEA, 1995)
Rodger Beatty, Past President ((Presented by CMEA, Conference 1997)
Marjorie Fanjoy, Member-at-Large (Presented by NSMEA, 1997)
Sharon Fitzsimmons, Member-at-Large (Presented by OMEA, 1999)
Eric Favaro, Past President (Presented by NSMEA, 2000)
Brian Roberts, Journal Editor (Presented by CMEA)
Debbie McPherson, Past President
Barbara Graham, Past President (Presented by MMEA, 2006)
Cathy Lynn Yorke-Slader (Presented by OMEA, 2007)
Gregg Bereznick (2007)
Allan Anderson (2009)
Mary Dinn (2011)
Ed Wasiak (2013)

Professional Awards