Tecumseh Middle School is buzzing with excitement as beloved orchestra teacher Amy Marr has been honored as one of three finalists for the prestigious 2025 Michigan Chapter of the American String Teachers Association (MASTA) Teacher of the Year award. This recognition celebrates the best in string education across Michigan, and Amy’s nomination highlights her unparalleled dedication, innovative teaching, and inspiring leadership.
To qualify for this prestigious recognition, nominees must have at least ten years of quality teaching experience in Michigan, demonstrate significant service to the profession, and be members in good standing of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Current MASTA members submit nominations, making the honor especially meaningful among peers.
Amy’s passion for string education shines through in everything she does, and this nomination reflects her profound impact on students, colleagues, and the broader music community.
“MASTA has been such an integral part of my life since I was 16,” said Amy. “I am incredibly honored to be nominated again for this award by my colleagues and teaching peers. I’m especially humbled to be in the company of the other two amazing music educators who are finalists with me this year.”
Amy discovered her nomination through a text message from the MASTA President-Elect before receiving the official email.
“As President of MASTA, I had reached out to check on the nomination process, and that’s when he [Jim Van Eizenga, President-Elect] let me know I’d been nominated by one of our members,” Amy shared. “I was completely taken aback and so honored to know that someone thought of me in that way.”
Her nominator highlighted Amy’s extensive service to string education, her engaging and inclusive teaching style, and her tireless efforts to bring the joy of music to her students and the community.
“Amy makes being in her classroom a place where everyone belongs,” the nomination read. “She celebrates diversity in music and works hard to program a variety of pieces that reflect her students’ community while introducing them to music from around the world.”
Amy’s journey as a music educator runs deep, rooted in a lifelong love for music that began at an early age. Inspired by her mother, a violinist and former orchestra director, and shaped by her exceptional teachers, Amy’s path to teaching was natural. Having played the violin since she was three, Amy can’t imagine life without music, and she credits her teachers for shaping her career and how she approaches life.
Amy’s approach to teaching goes beyond music.
“My philosophy has always been that I teach my students to be better people, and in the time left over, I teach them music,” she explained. “Music classrooms are a space where students can truly find themselves, connect with others, and express themselves in ways they can’t elsewhere.”
Her proudest moments as an orchestra director include hosting large-scale performances with world-class artists like Mark Wood and watching students collaborate and grow in small, everyday ways.
“One of my favorite traditions is when we perform “Canon” at our holiday concerts and invite alumni to join us on stage,” Amy said. “It’s such an incredible moment to see generations of TMS orchestra students come together through music.”
Amy’s creativity in the classroom is legendary among her students. Whether dressing up as Captain Marr on International Talk Like a Pirate Day or transforming into Marrth Vader with mini-lightsabers for May the 4th, she uses imaginative approaches to make learning fun and memorable. By teaching in these playful and engaging ways, she helps students connect with the material, retain what they’ve learned, and enjoy the process.
Winning the MASTA Teacher of the Year award would be a career highlight for Amy.
“It would be an incredible honor, especially knowing how much MASTA has meant to me over the years,” she said. “To be recognized alongside past winners who have been my mentors and colleagues would be truly humbling.”
Regardless of the outcome, Amy’s impact on Tecumseh Public Schools and the string education community in Michigan is undeniable.
“I feel so lucky to help my students find themselves and make the world a better place through our shared experiences in music,” she said. “How amazing is it that I get to change the world, one ‘orch dork’ at a time?”
The 2025 MASTA Teacher of the Year award winner will be announced at the Michigan Music Conference on January 24, 2025.
Congratulations to Amy Marr on this well-deserved recognition!