Photo courtesy of Chris Cooper.
Homewood High School Band Director Chris Cooper, left, and HHS junior Mac Maflahi at an All-State Band event.
Mahmoud “Mac” Maflahi doesn’t just play the trombone — he tells stories with it.
As a junior at Homewood High School, Mac recently earned a coveted third-chair position in Alabama’s All-State Band, making him one of the top trombonists in the state. But behind every note he plays is a story of resilience, sacrifice and relentless drive.
Mac’s family fled Yemen in 2016 during the country’s civil war. With his father already in the United States, the Maflahis spent a brief stint in Algeria while navigating the immigration process before arriving in America in 2018. Mac was in third grade at the time, and adjusting to life in Homewood brought
overwhelming culture shock and a steep language barrier.
“We had to leave every single thing behind,” Mac said. “Everything was new. We did not know a lot of people and didn't speak English. Neither us nor my parents spoke English.”
Despite the challenges, Mac’s family chose Homewood for its reputation as a welcoming and supportive school system. Though many extended family members settled in places like Michigan and New York, they had a few connections to the Birmingham area and opted for Homewood over Hoover to prioritize education.
Music didn’t enter Mac’s life by accident. His older brother Abdul, who once played football for HHS, encouraged him to join the school’s award-winning band program. Mac originally wanted to play the drums, but in sixth grade, band director Chris Cooper handed Mac his own trombone to try — and a passion was born.
“He practices like no one I’ve ever seen before at Homewood High School, just the self discipline is off the charts,” Cooper said. “And even as staff, we’ll walk out and hear him practicing, and he’ll ask for help, and we’ll listen and critique. But a lot of times we’re in awe of like, ‘Oh my god, you’re so good.’”
Mac’s talent has earned him solos in school halftime shows and a leading spot in the school’s jazz ensemble. As he looks ahead to his senior year, he plans to compete again at All-State — this time aiming for first chair — and hopes to join a community ensemble to deepen his musical ties.
Outside the band room, Mac’s eying a bright future, exploring selective colleges like Vanderbilt and Emory with plans to study nursing — possibly alongside a minor in music. He’s also supported by the College Choice Foundation, a local nonprofit that has guided Mac and his siblings on the path to higher education.
“I definitely would not like an office where I do the same thing over and over again, but something that's useful for society,” Mac said. “The pay for me is not the biggest determining factor. As long as it's benefiting people, that's important. And then it has to be somewhere I could grow. I don't want to be the same person when I get employed and when I retire.”
Mac’s story has inspired not only his peers but also his teachers and mentors.
“He’s such an inspiration to the students and all the people on staff with his work ethic, his love and his kindness,” said Ron Pence, a retired band director who now works with Mac in jazz. “You won’t find a better musician. His heart comes through when he plays his instrument as he shares his talents with others.”
In every way, Mac Maflahi is marching to his own beat. And Homewood is all the better for it.
