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Entries for 2026 MMEA Clinic/Session Proposal Form
| Clinic/Session Category | Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Clinic Presentation for (MMEA Area): | Title of Clinic/Session | Clinic/Session Description |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Technology | MainStage for Educators: Bringing Synths to the Stage and Sideline |
Learn how to utilize Apple MainStage in both marching band and pit orchestra settings. This session will walk you through setting up the software for the first time, creating patches, and demonstrate its ease of use in live performance. Whether you're enhancing your front ensemble or supporting a musical, you'll leave with practical tools to integrate MainStage into your program with confidence. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | General Music | From Baton to Broadway: A Music Teacher’s Guide to Staging Musicals with Confidence |
This workshop is designed specifically for music educators looking to dip their toes into the world of musical theatre production or just to incorporate some theatrical elements to their classroom and performances. Whether you're tackling your first show or looking to add more theatrical flair to your concerts, you'll leave with practical tools and resources to "Break a leg!" |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | I can't do that! Accompanying for non-pianists |
Do you ever find yourself needing an accompanist and consider playing yourself but then think, “I can’t do that!”? This session is designed for music educators, choir directors, and instrumental instructors who aren't trained pianists but still find themselves needing to accompany students, choirs, or soloists. We’ll explore creative, practical strategies for simplifying accompaniments, using chord symbols, and making the most of your current skills—without needing virtuosic technique. Come away with confidence, tools, and tricks to support your musicians, even when the score looks intimidating. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Groove & Prove: Tracking Progress in the Music Room |
Join us for an engaging session designed to help music educators seamlessly integrate student progress tracking into everyday music-making. "Groove & Prove" explores practical strategies for assessing musical growth without disrupting the creative flow of the classroom. Participants will discover tools and techniques for collecting meaningful data—from informal check-ins and rubrics to digital portfolios and performance reflections—that demonstrate both student achievement and program impact. Whether you're teaching general music, band, choir, or orchestra, this session will empower you to groove with your students while proving their progress every step of the way. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Enhancing Outcomes for Your Band's Visual Program |
This clinic will address methods of developing, sustaining, and enhancing the visual program for marching band and winter guard programs. Discussions will include visual techniques, judging standards, and practical advice to improve outcomes of competitive design. This session is designed to address all levels of performance. Presenter Keith Baker is an adjudicator for Drum Corps International, Winter Guard International, and Bands of America. Mr. Baker also serves as the Chief Judge for the Mid-East Performance Association in Dayton, OH. He has over 30 years of experience designing and teaching marching bands, winter guards, and indoor drumlines. A portion of the presentation will explain the process and give advice for becoming a pageantry arts adjudicator. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | From Warm Up to Wow: Taking Your Daily Routine to the Next Level |
What happens in the first 10 minutes of band rehearsal matters. This clinic focuses on developing strong individual and ensemble fundamentals through intentional daily routines. With a live demonstration group, we will explore how to design warm ups that build tone, technique, and musicianship. We will address common playing issues often overlooked in band rooms and share practical strategies and resources including the Harmony Director. Better fundamental routines lead to better bands. It’s that simple! |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Bringing a Coach's Mentality to Rehearsals: Building Resilience in Singers |
What if choral rehearsals embraced the mindset of great athletic coaches—fostering focus, resilience, and a growth mindset? Transform your rehearsals into spaces where singers thrive under pressure, recover from setbacks, and build confidence alongside musicianship. Learn to lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose while creating a culture that celebrates effort and sees mistakes as part of learning. Drawing on strategies from sports and education, you’ll gain tools to empower singers to meet challenges with grit and grace. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | FINDING THEIR VOICE: Voice-Charting the Adolescent Male Singer |
In this session I will explain what voice-charting is, discuss why voice-charting is imperative to a successful choral program, and, with the help of some young men, I will walk you through, step by step, how I voice chart the changing male voices in my classroom. You will be able to hear, first hand, what to listen for as you are voice-charting your young men. You will also see how I use the chart as a tool to help your young singers advocate for themselves as musicians. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | You Can’t Afford Not To… |
Discover the non-negotiables that every band director can’t afford not to do. This session offers practical strategies to help you run a thriving, student-centered band program—without losing your health or sanity. From teaching fundamentals with intention to programming inclusive repertoire, building staff communication, and managing your physical space, you’ll walk away with tools you can implement immediately. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Practical Vocal Acoustics for the Choir Director |
Want your choir to sing with greater consistency, balance, and resonance? Grounded in evidence-based vocal pedagogy, this session bridges the gap between voice science and choral artistry, offering clear, repeatable strategies for achieving a resonant, expressive, and unified ensemble sound. With practical, easy-to-implement prompts and accessible terminology, we’ll explore how small adjustments lead to big results—no matter the style of vocal music! Stock up on tools to empower your singers and transform your next rehearsal! |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Know Your Why: Thoughts from the Adjudication Process |
This clinic is designed to help directors clarify their goals of evaluative events. Advice, hints and help will be given from the perspective of the adjudicator to help both directors and students attain success in these assessments. While designed with the small school band program in mind, the information presented will be applicable to all levels. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Teaching Music and Touchdowns: Life Lessons from Forty Five Years of Football Fandom |
Join us for this unique clinic where Chris Sprague reflects on thirty years in music education, forty years of football fandom, and the powerful life lessons common to both. You'll laugh, maybe even cry, but most of all you'll be reminded of your purpose in the music classroom. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Big Genius Fun: Using the power of fun to make work feel like play, and unlocking your own creativity as a teacher |
This clinic will guide you in how to use big genius fun to make skill acquisition feel like play! I will discuss why you should promote big genius fun, I will share examples of games etc. that work, discuss skills that your students will acquire, and give tools you can use to unlock your own creativity and design your own big genius fun. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | A Creative Approach to Composing in Band (or any ensemble really) |
Learn a creative way you can guide your students through a collaborative composing process using only 10-15 minutes of rehearsal each week (or less) with nothing more than pencils, paper, and your willingness to get creative. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Early Childhood/Elementary | Bringing Stories to Life: Musical Adventures with Storybooks |
In this session participants will explore strategies to pair beloved children’s books with rhythm, melody, and movement activities that enhance literacy and musical skills. Learn creative approaches for composing simple melodies, rhythms, and chants that make reading an immersive experience. These adaptable ideas will engage students, foster creativity, and seamlessly integrate music into language arts at a variety of different age levels. Participants will leave with ready-to-use lesson plans that turn storytelling into a musical experience. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | General Music | Beyond 'Name & Favorite Song': Creative Icebreakers for Engagement on Day 1 |
Discover fresh, interactive icebreakers that build community and make connections. Learn quick, engaging activities that spark creativity, ease nerves, and set a joyful tone for the year. Whether through movement, improvisation, or playful challenges, these strategies will help you connect with students instantly to make the first day memorable. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Early Childhood/Elementary | Unlock the Power of Improvisational Singing: Building Courage for You & Your Students |
Gain the confidence to embrace improvisational singing in your classroom! This session explores practical strategies to overcome hesitation, foster creativity, and integrate spontaneous vocal activities into lesson plans. Discover fun, low-pressure exercises that build your students' musical confidence. Whether through call-and-response, rhythmic games, melodic exploration, or puppets, learn how improvisation can enhance engagement, musicality, and joy in learning. Leave empowered to take risks and inspire fearless musical expression. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Tag, You’re It: Building Confident Singers Through Barbershop Harmony |
Barbershop harmony offers a fun, effective way to build vocal independence, improve intonation, and boost self-assurance. This interactive session explores how singing barbershop tags—short, satisfying harmonic phrases—can unlock vocal confidence. Attendees will participate in live singing, experience tight harmony, and learn practical strategies. Led by Dr. Jay Dougherty, Director of Choral Activities at Drury University and a certified Musicality Judge with the Barbershop Harmony Society, this session provides real-world tools to inspire confidence in singers. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | The Silent Choral Rehearsal: Conducting Without Words for Maximum Musical Engagement |
We often hear the advice to “speak less” in rehearsals—but what if you didn’t speak at all? In this interactive session, Dr. Jay Dougherty leads a silent choral rehearsal using only gesture and nonverbal cues. Participants will experience how silence can sharpen focus, deepen listening, and foster ensemble independence. A follow-up discussion will explore what worked, what didn’t, and how these techniques can enhance daily rehearsals for a more efficient, immersive musical experience. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Intuitive Intonation: Training Your Ear for Pure Harmony |
Achieving precise intonation requires more than theory—it demands an ear for pure intervals. Many musicians have never truly heard pure intonation in its most resonant form. This interactive session uses advanced audio analysis to uncover hidden overtones in the human voice, with live and computer-generated examples of justly tuned intervals, including the harmonic seventh. Attendees will gain practical tools to sharpen listening skills and guide ensembles toward more precise tuning. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Equity | Introverts in Your Ensembles: Teaching Strategies for Your More Reserved Students |
Roughly one-third of students identify as introverted, yet many ensemble teaching strategies favor extroverts. Introverted students may be musically gifted but avoid solos, hesitate to speak up, or find spontaneous interaction draining. This session offers insights into how unconscious bias can affect classroom dynamics and presents practical strategies to create a more inclusive rehearsal environment. Learn how to support introverted students through thoughtful adjustments in structure, expectations, and leadership opportunities—helping all students thrive musically. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Equity | Deaf Students CAN be Successful in Band! |
The clinicians will share strategies and rehearsal techniques from the perspectives of those who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing, based on twenty years combined experience as both a student and teacher in band classrooms and in marching band. Information related to hearing loss, assistive devices and hearing protective measures will be provided, as will suggestions for adaptive techniques for effective, inclusive rehearsals. This session will be a resource for educators who are looking to improve the musical experiences for all students. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Orchestra | The Ultimate Process Over Product - Teaching kids to PRACTICE! |
Were you ever taught how to practice? At some point we all figured it out, but more often than not musicians have to learn through trial and error. Why not give them the cheat code? Teach them HOW to practice. How to diagnose problems, what to do to fix them, and STOP playing straight through a piece full of errors! Learn why I started assessing practicing instead of playing tests and the tremendous effect it had on my program. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | Stranger Sings: Unlocking the “Upside Down” fears of Sightreading in the Choral Rehearsal |
In this TV-themed session, after 20 years of Texas choral music teaching, Dr. Bready shares the tools, strategies, and the "Law and Order" that will take your ensemble from "The Sightreading Dead" to "America's Next Top Sightreader." |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | College/University | From Burnout to Balance: Improving Mental Health in Music Education |
Did you know that music students experience higher emotional exhaustion and depersonalization levels than students in other majors? The music education culture often glorifies relentless work habits, leading to burnout and negatively impacting educators and students. Burnout affects educators’ well-being and mental health. Attendees will gain techniques to reduce burnout, enhance emotional regulation, improve mental health, and overall wellness. Prioritizing well-being now helps music students create a supportive learning environment for future students, setting a positive example for the next generation. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Middle School Band Warm Ups |
In this session I will talk about my current practice, provide materials you can take with you, and walk through the warm up process that will create great tone, activate listening, and provide a balance and blended sound in your middle school ensembles. This process can work in any band room, small or large. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Conquer your Intermediate Band! - with “Make It Happen!” A new approach for YOUR developing band |
I would like to provide band directors with helpful materials and strategies to assist them in teaching their intermediate bands. “Make It Happen!” band method is a full-year, method for 2nd/3rd year young band musicians. It is engaging and based on constant repetition, allowing your musicians to achieve the next level of playing successfully while still being enjoyable and engaging. Finally, a Book II that works for kids, using constant repetition… how kids truly learn! |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Exploring Creativity Through Beginning Band: Strategies for Imaginative Music-Making from Day One |
In this session, participants will engage with accessible strategies to foster creativity in beginning band classrooms. Too often, beginning instrumental instruction is limited to technical skill development and method book routines. This clinic reimagines early band experiences by integrating improvisation, student composition, and exploratory listening activities that cultivate musical thinking and ownership. Attendees will leave with adaptable lesson ideas, tools for creative assessment, and a renewed sense of what’s possible in the first year of instrumental music. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Advancing Music Education | “Start With Why”: Strategies for Ensemble Success |
This session will explore strategies for ensemble success based on Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why. We will cover: |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | Slow Down: Teaching Strategies at the beginning, middle, and end. |
The primary focus of this presentation will be on slowing down rehearsal strategies and allowing time for basic fundamentals to taught, stressed, and developed in rehearsals. Also reviewing that process to “re-teach” skills as we get closer to the performance stage. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | NAfME-Collegiate | Maximizing Your Student Teaching Experience |
Walking into your student teaching experience can feel daunting and overwhelming! In this session we will look over and discuss strategies to prepare you and your “music teacher toolbox” in order to have a successful and fulfilling student teaching experience. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Mentoring | How to talk to an Administrator |
Learn ways to communicate to administrators and how to advocate for your program. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Band | TAKE THAT ENSEMBLE SOMEWHERE...Traveling on A Budget |
The focus of this clinic is to show everyone that they can take their music ensemble, big or small, on the road! I will discuss pros and cons of planning a trip by yourself, how to shop around for the best bang for your buck, and I will discuss everything that went into planning the performance trip that St. James Band took in the Spring of 2024 to Universal Studios. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Choral | A Tenor Tantrum - Passaggio Training in the Choral Rehearsal |
The successful and sustainable development of young tenor and bass voices within a choral ensemble setting presents a formidable challenge for many choral conductors. This interactive presentation aims to clarify and apply modern vocal pedagogy scholarship to address common issues encountered in the development of tenor and bass voices, in particular, the management of registration changes or the “passagio”. Parrott will provide evidence-based strategies and examples of teaching techniques derived from modern vocal scholarship. These resources are designed to assist emerging choral conductors in delivering accurate and effective instruction to maturing tenor or bass voices within the ensemble rehearsal. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | General Music | Reading, Playing, Singing, Saying |
Using children's literature and the Orff approach, come read, play, and sing with us as we create a multifaceted and engaging performance that will change the way you present programs to your school. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | General Music | PLAYing a-ROUND |
Come sing, move, and play all things "round" with us! This session will feature singing in the round, moving around, and PLAY-ing around. This session will include elements from both the Orff and Dalcroze approaches to music education. |
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Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | MMEA | President Approved | Form Test |
Test |
| Clinic/Session Category | Primary Clinic/Session (60 minutes) | Clinic Presentation for (MMEA Area): | Title of Clinic/Session | Clinic/Session Description |