In January, Mr. Rodney Yokota, Redwood’s orchestra director, won the CMEA/Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award.
By: Yoselin Reynoso-Lozano
For the award, you are nominated by a fellow music teacher. After being nominated, you’re sent an email with a form to be filled out about what he’s done in CMEA and how he’s helped out. Afterward, he had to write about how music education is just important in general, which was then sent to the CMEA board. They then read through all nominees’ responses and conclude who they think is the best fit for the reward.
Yokota says, “I felt very honored, being nominated and actually winning the award. It is very exciting to be recognized for what I do.”
This whole process took months, as Yokota received his email in November of 2024 but wasn’t fully done with the entire process until very late December when he won the award in early January of 2025.
With being able to talk about music education to others, helping out in festivals regularly, and being the central California orchestra representative regularly as well, along with being local and helping in the Tulare Kings Music Eductors Association (TKMEA), Yokota has a long history with being in music.
With so much of Yokota’s time being surrounded by music and being able to educate others in music, he had a high chance of winning this award.
So officially, Mr. Yokota won the 2025 Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award from the California Music Educators Association, well deserved after all the hard work and dedication he’s put into his students for 20 years.
“It was a lot of fun. I got to go up to the Sacramento conference and stayed for about three days. Going to different music stuff along with the awards dinner reception. Just lots of fun, and I’ve been very appreciative of all the congratulations and things people have been sending. It’s all just this really cool thing.”
Yoselin Reynoso
Yoselin Reynoso '25 is currently in her third year of writing for the Redwood Gigantea. She enjoys reading and is excited about what Redwood Gigantea has in store for her.
Tags: arts & entertainment, arts and entertainment, award, cmea, music, orchestra, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood Mr yokota, redwood orchestra, redwood rangers, rhs, rhs Mr yokota, rhs orchestra, TKMEA, visalia ca, yokota
