The 2026 MIDI Association Lifetime Achievement Awards
At the 2026 Winter NAMM Show, The MIDI Association presented the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Awards, honoring pioneers whose work helped define MIDI, computer music, and modern music production.
The honorees include:
- Chris Adam — Co-founder of C-Lab and Emagic, key architect behind Notator and Logic
- Roy Elkins — Connector of artists, technology, and community across the global music ecosystem
- Greg Hendershott — Founder of Cakewalk, who democratized MIDI sequencing on personal computers
- David Kusek — Founder of Passport Designs and pioneer of computer music and MIDI education
- Gerhard Lengeling — Co-founder of C-Lab and Emagic, creator of Logic and architect of modern DAWs
- Dave Oppenheim — Co-founder of Opcode Systems and pioneer of MIDI sequencing and DAW workflows
- Charlie Steinberg — Founder of Steinberg, visionary behind modern MIDI sequencing and virtual studios
- Emile “Dr. T” Tobenfeld — Algorithmic music innovator who expanded MIDI’s creative boundaries
The Association has profiles of the honorees and their work at its site.
