The Memphis Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 EDDY AWARD – Stephen M. Lee, the Founder/Artistic and Executive Director of The Memphis Jazz Workshop. The award is established by the Circle of Friends, a philanthropy initiative that embraces a mission to be an instrument of intentional inclusion in the performing arts The award will be presented at the Masterworks on April 27th at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts.

Steve Lee is an accomplished jazz musician whose talent, passion, and leadership have made a transformative contribution to the vibrancy of the community’s cultural center. By intentionally including middle and high school students from different races and life experiences in music intensives, he and his well-versed teachers give these youth unparalleled guidance in experiential learning. Memphis Jazz Workshop is nurturing some of the city’s most talented young people in the performing arts. They focus on discipline, work ethic, music education, and mastery. Steve Lee and his team cultivate the future of jazz by preparing the next generation to move music forward. 

 He has an undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance from City College University in New York City and a Master's in Education from Freed Hardeman. He has been in the education sector in Memphis, Tenn, since 2010, with three years of teaching for the Shelby County Schools system and five years at the Stax Music Academy. Through seven years as a fellow for the Memphis Music Initiative, he has worked with Gregory Porter, Ulysses Owens Jr., Kirk Whalum, Esperanza Spalding, and many more.