TMAA was born of a seed sown by F. W. Savage, the first Director of Music Activities for the Texas University Interscholastic League, when in the late 1950's; he began to conduct band adjudication workshops for judges of UIL music events. His successor, Dr. Nelson G. Patrick, emphasized to the state's music leadership the importance of organizing a group that could establish recognized standards of music education in Texas.
At his urging, an ad hoc committee of Texas music educator leaders met in Austin over a period of several months to develop a list of approved judges for music events sponsored by UIL, called the "Recommended List of Judges." The implementation of this list proved to be so controversial that it helped to accelerate efforts to organize a music judges association.
The Texas Music Adjudicators Association was organized in 1976 to provide for the systematic growth of this list of judges. Charter members approved a final draft of the constitution prepared by Bryce Taylor and Melva Sebesta; elected the first slate of officers and began the process of enlarging the membership. Dr. Patrick adopted the TMAA Membership list as the UIL Recommended List of Judges for the 1979-80 school year.
During the TMAA Annual Business Meeting in 1993 Richard Floyd, current Director of UIL Music Activities, announced that those people who had made a commitment to quality adjudication as a member of the professional association have made it possible that henceforth in the University Interscholastic League Constitution and Contest Rules will read not "from a Recommended List of Judges"; instead it will read "from the Texas Music Adjudicators Association.