2026 Maine Music Educators Association Conference

Programming a concert is more than just picking the music. In this session we will look at some guidelines, practices and philosophies for putting together a program which meets your educational goals and is musically satisfying and fun for both the students and the audience.

Be ready to write, create and sing! Songwriting is a creative process and a different way for our students to connect with one another. From first draft to concert ready, We will cover what "Day 1" looks like when starting this process in addition to tackling the challenges you might come across when working with your group. Even if you decide not to create a song for performance, Songwriting in the classroom can be used to give your warm-ups variety, show understanding of musicianship concepts or even be used as an end of year project! My goal is for you to leave with activities you can incorporate in your classes the next day and utilize your students' untapped creativity!

In our ensemble classrooms, we aren’t given a curriculum book that tells us what to teach. This session will provide practical strategies for building and expanding your own curriculum, from scaffolding lessons to selecting musical concepts and repertoire. You’ll explore an approach that validates your teaching while encouraging students to actively engage with the concepts you present. Fully developed unit examples, along with free lesson plans and resources, will be shared for immediate use and adaptation. Leave equipped with tools to design a program where every rehearsal fosters musicianship, student engagement, and deeper connections to music.

In this session the participants will learn about the development of the Choral Access Database (Choral Access), Pre-teaching Tools, and techniques for implementing this resource in their teaching. They will also learn about how they can contribute to the database and help grow this community resource. There will be a reading session component of the session that will include the application of the Pre-teaching tools. Discussion will also include time for feedback about resources and allow participants to offer suggestions for new features. Presented in collaboration with The Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Do your singers readily focus on the expressive elements of music they are preparing to perform? Do you wish you could find something extra special for them to sing? This session will feature a step-by-step guide to help you and your singers create a truly unique signature work that showcases your ensemble and its special talents. Students will gain new insights into the choral art as they adopt the role of composer, develop new musical and socio-emotional skills, and prepare a performance that will captivate any audience with a meaningful work that uniquely represents their collective musicianship.

Learn some essential techniques for developing a successful vocal jazz ensemble and prepping students for jazz-related auditions and performances. Whether it's sound setup, mic technique, stylistic elements, or general teaching methods, we got you covered!

In a region where many schools, districts, churches, or even community groups rely on a single music leader, regardless of expertise, you might find yourself in a position that requires you to lead a choir but with little to no choral experience. Whether you're a new church director, a recovering band director, or otherwise in over your head, this session has tools, guidance, tips, tricks, and life advice to help you feel capable in front of a singing group of any age, size, or voicing!

This session is designed for directors who conduct both instrumental and choral ensembles, but is open to anyone with an interest in refining their Choral gesture. In this session, we'll cover the similarities between instrumental and choral conducting, and also explore some simple and effective choral gestures in an effort to add clarity and simplicity to your practice.