Music Educator Awards
For more than 75 years, the North Carolina Symphony has collaborated with statewide music educators to deliver our curriculum-aligned music education program into the classroom. Today, the program engages more than 150,000 elementary school students across North Carolina and beyond. Each year, we recognize three educators that are helping us reach and inspire the future musicians and audiences that are in their classrooms.
The following awards are presented each year:
Maxine Swalin Award for Outstanding Music Educator ($1,000 Award)
Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement ($500 Award)
North Carolina Symphony Musicians Award (for teachers<10 Years’ Experience ($500 Award)
In addition to a monetary award, honorees also receive public recognition at a North Carolina Symphony concert, tickets to a Classical series concert of their choosing, a school visit from a NC Symphony musician and/or small ensemble; and complimentary registration to the NC Music Educators Association Conference.
Thank you to everyone who nominated educators for the 2025 Music Educator Awards! Honorees will be recognized at a 2025/26 concert in Raleigh.
For more information about the Awards or other Education programs, contact education@ncsymphony.org
Maxine Swalin Award for Outstanding Music Educator
The Maxine Swalin Award for Outstanding Music Educator is named for Maxine Swalin who—together with her husband Dr. Benjamin Swalin, NCS music director from 1939-1972—raised funds to establish the Symphony’s children’s concert division in 1945.
2025 Honoree: Jana Winders
Lucama and Vick Elementary Schools, Wilson County
Jana Winders is a dedicated music educator and proud native of Wilson County. She is currently in her 23rd year of teaching elementary music at Lucama and Vick Elementary Schools.
Mrs. Winders holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education from East Carolina University. She is Orff-Certified and achieved National Board Certification in 2009, successfully renewing her certification in 2019. Her commitment to excellence in music education has earned her statewide recognition, including being named the North Carolina Elementary Music Educator of the Year in 2013.
An active member of the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), Mrs. Winders has served in multiple leadership roles, including Chair of the NC Elementary Honors Chorus and currently as President-Elect of the NCMEA Elementary Board. She has directed numerous All-County Chorus events across the state.
Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Winders is deeply involved in her community. She is the co-creator of Whirlikidz Sing, a showcase of talented elementary students from across Wilson County. She has led several summer music camps in partnership with the local Arts Council and served as an adjunct professor at Barton College.
Her passion and innovation have been recognized with several awards, including being named Teacher of the Year at Lucama Elementary in both 2006 and 2015 and finishing as runner-up for Wilson County Teacher of the Year each of those years. She is also the recipient of the David Simon “Learn, Create, Inspire” Award, given to one Wilson County Schools employee selected by peers for exceptional creativity and inspiration in education. Mrs. Winders leads The Singing Cardinals, a chorus of 4th and 5th graders who regularly perform at community events, spreading joy through music and supporting local charitable causes.
She resides in Wilson with her husband, Rick, and their two children, Madison and Benjamin.
Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement
The Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement is named for the Symphony’s former director of education in recognition of his longstanding service and commitment to young people in the state of North Carolina.
2025 Honoree: Amanda Tant
Hendersonville Middle and High Schools, Henderson County
Amanda Tant is an accomplished music educator and violist based in Western North Carolina. Since 2014, she has served as the Orchestra Director at Hendersonville Middle and High Schools, where she oversees a comprehensive program for students in grades 6-12. In addition to leading orchestral ensembles, Ms. Tant conducts the pit for the annual spring musical and serves as the Glee Club Sponsor. She is an experienced conductor and clinician, working in a variety of settings including youth orchestras, all county festivals, musicals, and summer camps.
A staff member of the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestras, Ms. Tant currently leads the Sinfonia String Orchestra. As a performer, she serves as a section violist with the Hendersonville Symphony and Brevard Philharmonic. She is an active member of the National Association for Music Education (NCMEA) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Her professional contributions to music education have been recognized most recently as the 2024 NCMEA Western Region Orchestra Teacher of the Year and Hendersonville High School’s Teacher of the Year for 2020-2021.
Ms. Tant is also a North Carolina Teaching Fellow alumna and recipient of the 2018 Bornoff Memorial Scholarship from the Foundation for the Advancement of String Education. She also serves on the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra Board, where she chairs the Education Committee. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys hiking through the natural beauty of Western North Carolina, learning fiddle tunes, and experimenting with new recipes. Ms. Tant resides in Asheville with her family.
North Carolina Symphony Musicians Award
The North Carolina Symphony Musicians Award honors emerging music educators with fewer than 10 years of teaching experience. This award is named for the musicians of the North Carolina Symphony in appreciation of their contributions to the children and communities of North Carolina, and in recognition of the fact that each one of the musicians on our stage has been influenced by excellent music teachers.
2025 Honoree: Grant Logan
St. Stephens High School, Catawba County
Grant Logan is the choral director at St. Stephens High School in Catawba County, where he has the privilege of directing the Beginning Chorus, Concert Choir, and Honors Chamber Ensemble. Since graduating from Wingate University in 2017 with his bachelor’s degree in music education, he has served both North Carolina and his local community in several capacities. Most notably, he has served the North Carolina Music Educators Association as both a music performance adjudication (MPA) site coordinator and as the High School Choral MPA Chair for the state. He has also had the honor of serving as a Mars Hill Choral Festival zone coordinator and was a proud member on the board of directors for the Hickory Choral Society.
Mr. Logan passionately advocates for the choral arts both in his classroom and local community. He consistently encourages his students to participate in statewide events such as NC Honors Chorus, NC Governor’s School, and choral festivals throughout the state. His proudest moments as an educator have been watching his students make the transition from musical performance to musical artistry. In addition, he considers it a privilege to have had a direct impact on the next generation of musicians and music educators.
Mr. Logan proudly served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves for eight years and now enjoys singing in the Hickory Choral Society with his wonderful wife, Morgan. In his free time, he enjoys hobbies which include gaming, hunting, fishing, nature photography, ham/ amateur radio, and playing with his cat, Michi.
