2025 AMEA Conference Program Book

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

JANUARY 23-25

BIRMINGHAM-JEFFERSON CONVENTION COMPLEX

Dr. Phil Wilson, AMEA PRESIDENT

Welcome back to the Magic City and to the 2025 AMEA Professional Development Conference! Since our last conference in 2023, the governing board and I have been working to ensure you a meaningful, thought-provoking experience filled with beautiful concerts from your colleagues across the state, research-based and field-tested clinics, entertaining and inspiring speakers, and great fellowship over the next few days. Our ask is that you fully participate in this conference, learning new things that may transform your classrooms and/or studios, and even consider sharing your own experiences with us at the next conference.

Birmingham is known as the Magic City due to its exponential growth in the late 1800s because of the rich natural resources that were discovered here. Birmingham’s nickname is the “Iron City” again referring to the natural resources

here. It is said that what is in the ground is truly the magic of Birmingham. As your feet hit the ground at AMEA 2025, keep the spirit of Birmingham’s founding in the back of your mind. Over the course of this conference, you will interact with teachers and musicians from different music programs and with varying experiences from our state and nearby states. They will share their “magic” in resources and what has worked for them. Listen to learn and take back the magic to improve your situation at home.

Several nationally known speakers and performing groups will be highlighted at AMEA. The governing board will kick off the conference by hosting a leadership breakfast where the current Southern Division President, and AMEA Past President Susan Smith will be the guest speaker. Susan has taught general, choral, and instrumental music at the elementary through collegiate

levels in Florida, Virginia, and Alabama and has served as an author, clinician, conductor, and adjudicator across the United States. We look forward to her words of inspiration as leaders of this organization. In between clinics and throughout the conference, we highly encourage you to visit the exhibits. On Thursday afternoon from 4:30-5:30 p.m., you are invited to interact with our exhibitors at the Exhibit Hall Reception in the BJCC East Ballroom. Stop by and fellowship with the membership.

Keynote presentations are a time for the entire membership of an organization to come together to hear a united message. On Friday at 10:15 a.m. in the BJCC Theater, we are honored to welcome back Dr. Tim Lautzenhiser as our keynote who will speak to us about building a culture of excellence. Following Dr. Tim, the Aeolians of Oakwood University, under the direction

of Dr. Jeremy Jordan, will entertain us with beautiful vocal songs from their concert season. You will not want to miss a moment of these presentations.

This conference is comprehensive as we want to continue to highlight all facets of music education, including current research. On Friday, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the BJCC East Ballroom Foyer, we invite you to stop by the research poster session to interact with current and future researchers of music education. Examining data to determine best practices in music education is an excellent way to transform your classroom and pedagogy.

Each year we take time at the conference to recognize AMEA sponsored accomplishments among our membership. This is always an exciting time as we honor those silent workers who selflessly make music education in Alabama stronger and more resilient. We invite you to our AMEA Awards on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the BJCC Theater to be followed by concerts by the Alabama

Intercollegiate Band, conducted by Dr. Stephen Peterson, and the University of Alabama University Singers, Conducted by Dr. Morgan Luttig.

Please know that this conference is the result of many months of planning and conversations among your AMEA Division Presidents, the AMEA Governing Board, and the AMEA Staff. I am honored to work alongside our Executive Director Dr. Rusty Logan, Assistant Executive Director David Raney, Editor and all things AMEA Garry Taylor, Registrar Pat Stegall, President-elect Dr. Travis Bender, Past President Dr. Rob Lyda, and Secretary Heather Holmes to make this conference a success. When you see AMEA staff, please take a moment to thank them for the excellent work they do to keep music alive and well in Alabama throughout the year.

The future of our profession depends on the legacy we enculturate; not just what you’ve done, but what you will do to ensure our profession continues to grow

and stay resilient. My plea to you for this conference, and for the days and months ahead, is to reach out to the future of our profession, first year teachers, the Collegiates. They will be easy to recognize as they will be the bright-eyed, idea filled vessels of excitement learning alongside of us. Take a moment to introduce yourself, share a cup of coffee with them, encourage them by listening to their ideas, and most importantly, make them feel welcome. Perhaps your words may encourage them to do something revolutionary in music education for Alabama.

I hope you enjoy AMEA 2025! If there is anything we can do for you for this conference, or ideas for future conferences, please feel free to reach out to us, or seek us out this week. Thank you for all that you do to make music education possible in this state. As iron sharpens iron, so then shall you sharpen your learning this week. I look forward to shaking your hand this week in the halls of AMEA 2025.

2024-2025 AMEA Officers and Governing Board

President ................................................................................. Dr. Phil Wilson

President-Elect ..................................................................... Dr. Travis Bender

Immediate Past-President............................................................Dr. Rob Lyda

Recording Secretary ............................................................... Heather Holmes

ABA President .................................................................................. Lori Hart

AOA President ............................................................... Jordan Kirchner Ford

AVA President .............................................................................Amanda Slay

ELEM/GEN President Alicia Luttrell

HED President Stephen Foster

Collegiate Advisor Dr. Meghan Merciers

Collegiate President JP Aufdemorte

Industry Representative Joey Harbison

Alabama DOE Arts Education Specialist Andy Meadows

AMEA Staff

Executive Director Dr. Russell Logan

Assistant Executive Director David Raney

Registrar Pat Stegall

Editor Garry Taylor

AMEA President’s Cabinet

The President’s Cabinet supports President Wilson in advancing the mission of the Alabama Music Educators Association. Each member brings expertise to promote music education statewide, working together to provide guidance, resources, and advocacy for Alabama’s music educators.

Advocacy Committee

Advocacy Chair – Dr. Rob Lyda

Alabama Arts Alliance – Dr. Rob Lyda

Government/ALSDE Relations – Dr. Phil Wilson

Music in Our Schools Month – Dr. Becky Halliday

Public Relations – Michael Bird

Publications Committee

Ala Breve – Garry Taylor, Editor

Music Reviewer – Band – Jeremy Stovall

Music Reviewer – Choir – Dr. William Powell

Music Reviewer – ELEM/General Music – Deanna

Bell & Jason Jackson

Music Reviewer – Jazz – Alabama Jazz Collective

Music Curriculum Committee

Composition – Patrick Darby

Jazz Education – Nick McDonald

Music Industry Education – Michelle McDonald

Accessible Music Education –

Social Media Committee

David Raney (Chair)

Lauren Lingerfelt (ABA)

Matthew Gardner (AVA)

Brooke Gray (Elementary)

Bethany Holly (Collegiate)

TBA (AOA)

Dr. Jane Kuehne (Higher Ed)

Music Education Levels Committee

Tri-M – Deanna Marshall

cNAfME – Dr. Meghan Merciers

SMTE – Dr. Morgan Soja

Leadership Initiative – Dr. Shane Colquhoun

Retired Members – John Baker

AMEA Governance Committee

Historian – Dr. Rusty Courson

Membership – Pat Stegall

Join us in the BJCC Theatre Friday at 7:00 PM for the presentation of the

2025 AMEA AWARDS

FAME Scholarship Recipient: Mary Cole Kinney, Muscle Shoals High School

Outstanding Administrator: Christy Mims, Principal, Jemison Middle School

Lacey Powell Outstanding Music Educator: Melissa McIntyre, Liberty Park Elementary, Vestavia

AMEA Hall of Fame, Class of 2025: Carl Hancock, AMEA Past President, Former Media Specialist

John Baker, AMEA Past President

Alabama’s National Board Certified Teachers in Music - Class of 2024

AMEA Honor Roll - Members who have 25 years of continuous service and increments of 5 years AMEA Outstanding Young Composers Competition Finalists CONGRATULATIONS!

Make Memories for a Lifetime as a Bulldog Athletic Band Member.

At Samford University, our athletic bands form the heartbeat of campus spirit. Students from all majors can receive a $4,000 athletic band scholarship.

Learn more and apply for Samford’s Athletic Band Scholarship

9:00 AM Registration

9:15 AM If I Could Trade Places With You, Would I? You Bet I Would! Rebecca Warren

10:00 AM Prepare Today for Success Tomorrow Susan Smith

10:45 AM Break

11:00 AM Teaching 101: Maximizing Opportunities as a High School Student Dr. Matt Koperniak

11:45 AM Lunch/Exhibits

1:15 PM Everything But the Music: The True Job of the Music Educator Matthew Gardner

2:00 PM Break

2:15 PM The Hidden Gem: Elementary Music Devin Lacy

3:00 PM Break

3:15 PM Making the Most of This Time In Your Life Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser

4:00 PM Wrap-up and Dismiss

FAME is a one-day seminar sponsored by the Alabama Music Educators Association and held in conjunction with the AMEA Professional Development Conference. This seminar is an opportunity for 11th and 12th grade high school students who have an interest in pursuing a career in music education to meet and interact with current music educators. FAME attendees who major in music education at an Alabama college or university are eligible to apply for the $1,000 Eleanor Nation FAME Scholarship presented by AMEA.

The University of North Alabama Department of Music offers scholarships to qualified music majors and minors in all instrumental, vocal, and piano programs through auditions

Degrees Degrees Degrees

Ensembles may be eligible for a rdless of their academic major.

ion Dates:

24 | January 31, 2025

25 | April 5, 2025

ntact us:

c | 256.765.4375

u | @unamusic1

Minor Minor Minor

Bachelor of Music in Performance

Bachelor of Music in Performance

Bachelor of Music in Performance

IInstrumental nstrumental Instrumental

Piano Piano Piano

Vocal Vocal Vocal

Music Music Music

Certificates Certificates Certificates

Musical Theatre Musical Theatre Musical Theatre

Bachelor of Arts or Science in Music

Bachelor of Arts Science in

Bachelor of Arts or Science in Music

IInstrumental nstrumental Instrumental

Vocal / Choral Vocal / Choral Vocal Choral

Percussion Specialist Specialist Percussion Specialist

Bachelor of Science in Education

Bachelor of Science in Education

Bachelor of Science in Education

Choral Music, P-12 Choral Music, P-12 Choral Music, P-12

Instrumental Music, P-12 Instrumental Music, P-12 Instrumental Music, P-12

AMEA 2025 Featured Clinicians & Performers

Director: Jeremy Savoy Jordan

Featured Performers: The Aeolians of Oakwood University was originally organized in 1946 by the late Dr. Eva B. Dykes. Since its inception, the choir has traveled widely, touching the hearts of both young and old with their inspirational singing. Subsequent conductors include: Mrs. Joni PierreLouis, Mr. Harold Anthony, Dr. Jon Robertson, Dr. Alma M. Blackmon, Dr. John Dennison, Dr. Ricky Little (a former Aeolian), Dr. Eurydice Osterman, Michele Cleveland, Lloyd Mallory, Dr. Julie Moore, Norman Crarey, Dr. Wayne Bucknor (a former Aeolian) Dr. Jason Max Ferdinand (a former Aeolian), and presently Jeremy Sovoy Jordan also a former Aeolian. Directors have made considerable contributions over the years. Under the direction of Dr. John Dennison, the Aeolians performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, receiving flattering reviews. Under the direction of Dr. Alma M. Blackmon which began in 1973, the group was propelled into national and international prominence with the performance of over 200 concerts in the United States, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Canada, Poland, Romania, and Great Britain. Under the current director, the group tours extensively, and has extended their international prominence to Trinidad & Tobago, Russia, and Jamaica. Aeolian performances present a repertoire of choral music which ranges from the Baroque era to the twenty-first century. They have become an authoritative exponent of Negro spirituals and Work songs which express the yearnings of their forefathers to be free. In Oct 2015, the Aeolians made their debut at Carnegie Hall performing with the Altino Bros, the Altino Brothers Concert Chorale, and the Beyond Boundaries Symphony Orchestra in the Altino Bros’ “Beyond Boundaries” Concert Series. Later that month, the Aeolians accompanied the world acclaimed soprano, Kathleen Battle at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center in her, “Underground Railroad: A spiritual Journey” Concert Series. This choir has been truly blessed and for this they are thankful.

AMEA 2025 Featured Clinicians & Performers

All-State Gold Jazz Band Clinician

Wycliffe Gordon experiences an impressive career touring the world performing to great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Last year, Jazz Journalists Association named him 2022 “Trombonist of the Year” for the record-breaking 15th time, and he’s topped Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” for an unprecedented six times (2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 & 2012). Recent awards include the “Louie Award”, the International Trombone Award and the Satchmo Award, among others. Wycliffe is a prolific recording artist and is extremely popular for his unmatched signature sound, plunger technique and unique vocals. He can be heard on hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, live DVD’s and documentaries, and has an extensive catalog of original compositions that span the various timbres of jazz and chamber music. His arrangement of the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily across the globe. In addition to a successful solo career, Gordon tours regularly leading the International All Stars performing at festivals and performing arts centers worldwide. Gordon is also one of America’s most persuasive and committed music educators and is highly sought after as a clinician and guest speaker. Wycliffe Gordon is a Yamaha Performing Artist and has his own line of Wycliffe Gordon Pro Signature Mouthpieces by Pickett Brass. Visit www.wycliffegordon.com.

All-State Silver Jazz Band Clinician

Sallie Vines White teaches full-time at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama. Mrs. White has been teaching in the Hoover City School System since 1990. Mrs. White is now in her 40th year of teaching having first taught for five years in her hometown of Bessemer, AL. She teaches the award-winning Hoover High School First Edition Jazz Band, Hoover Jam Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and AP Music Theory. The Hoover First Edition Jazz Ensemble, which she directs, performed in December 2023 at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago with guest artist Marcus Printup. They were also the demo band in 2023 at Midwest for a clinic presented by Dean Sorenson. First Edition previously performed at The Midwest Clinic in December 2018 with guest artists Wycliffe Gordon and Todd Stoll, and also in December 2012 with guest artist Jim Pugh. They were a featured performer in 2014 at the Jazz Education Network Conference in Dallas, TX with guest artists John Fedchock and Tom Walsh. First Edition received national recognition through its selection five times as a finalist in the Savannah Music Festival Swing Central Contest. Prior to that they were selected into the North Texas Jazz Festival and have received all Superior ratings the numerous times they have attended the Loyola Jazz Festival in New Orleans. Sallie Vines White graduated magna cum laude from Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana in 1982, with a B.A. in Music, Music Education and Psychology. In 1985, she received her M.M.E. in Music Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN where she graduated “with distinction”. She studied Jazz at IU with David Baker and Dominic Spera. Mrs. White is married to Noah and has three children, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

All-State Bronze Jazz Band Clinician

Rodney Brown is a talented saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and educator hailing from Crestview, Florida. His musical journey began at the age of 11 when he was introduced to the saxophone in his middle school band. Since then, he has passionately pursued a broad range of instruments and musical theories. While he is well-versed in classical theory, jazz holds a special place in his heart. He thrives on exploring and pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz, continuously seeking to innovate within the genre. Rodney has captivated audiences throughout the Southeast, performing for thousands and inspiring others to discover and reach their fullest musical potential. Rodney has an impressive record of group and solo performances across various bands. He currently serves as the Commander of the 151st Army Band in the Alabama National Guard. At the University of West Florida (UWF), Rodney made significant contributions by coordinating the Jazz Combo and the UWF Saxophone Quartet. His leadership extended to Georgia State University, where he was the lead alto saxophonist in the Wind Ensemble, played lead alto in the Georgia State Jazz Band, and also directed a Jazz Combo and Saxophone Quartet.

All-State Middle School Jazz Band Clinician

John Cain is a native of Tuscaloosa, AL and holds degrees in Special Education and Music Education from the University of Alabama. Mr. Cain recently retired after teaching 33 years in the Tuscaloosa City School District. The last 15 years of his career, he served as the band director at Northridge High School whose jazz ensemble was selected to perform at the 2024 AMEA Conference. While at Northridge, Mr. Cain received multiple District-wide awards, including the PTSA Teacher of the Year and the TCS secondary representative for the Alabama Teacher of the Year. In 2013, Mr. Cain was one of 4 statewide finalists for the Jacksonville Teacher Hall of Fame. In 2023, Mr. Cain was awarded the Druid Arts Award for the Music Educator of the Year by the Arts Council of West Alabama. In addition to his role as band director, Mr. Cain has been active in the school through coaching duties, serving the tennis and basketball teams. His tennis teams won state championships in 2018 and 2022. Mr. Cain was named the Alabama State Coach of the Year in 2022. In his retirement, Mr. Cain continues to work with the Tuscaloosa City Schools as instructional support and is the Co-Director of the University of Alabama Campus Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Cain has been married to Maura Cain for 30 years and has two daughters, Dr. Julia Kim and Anna Gilbert.

MUSIC DEGREES OFFERED

Bachelor of Music Education (Choral Track)

Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental Track)

Bachelor of Arts (Choral Track)

Bachelor of Arts (Instrumental Track)

WHY MUSIC EDUCATION?

P-12 Teacher Certification

Projected job growth from 2024-2034 - 4%*

Share your love of music with the next generation

Focus on choral or instrumental music or both!

MUSIC FACULTY

Dr. Art Williams, Chair awilliams@faulkner.edu

Dr Allen Clements aclements@faulkner edu

Dr. Stephen Foster sfoster@faulkner.edu

Dr Robby Glasscock rglasscock@faulkner edu

Mr Michael Bird mbird@faulkner edu

Faulkner Marching Eagles

Faulkner Singers

Faulkner Jazz Band

Faulkner University Chorus

Concert Band

MUSIC STUDIES

Voice

Piano

Woodwinds

Brass

Percussion Theory History

Sight Singing Orchestration Conducting

Get Your Voice Moving: Tips for a Healthy Day of Teaching

Clinic Sessions

The What, Why , and How of Modern Band: In Training and in Practice Shane Colquhoun

Seven Trips Through the Score: A Time Saving Technique for Learning ANY Score! Justin White

Through My Music: Empowering Girls to Lead Myra Rhoden, Zandra Bell-McRoy

Shepherding Tomorrow’s Leaders to Artistry

Let’s Play! Taiko Drumming in the Music Classroom

Snap Back to Reality: A Guide for New Music Teachers

Lautzenheiser

Top Five Things I Wish I’d Known Before My First Year of Teaching Nancy Barry, etc.

Improving the Ensemble Habits of Your Secondary String Players

7 Essentials for Developing Voices in Choir

Move and Groove: Modern Ideas for Movement in the Music Room

Music Teacher Mentoring: A Relevant & Replicable Approach

Koperniak, Josh

The End is Only as Good as the Beginning - Planning for Success Before the Downbeat Tyler Acari

Getting to the Art of it! Programming for Concert Bands with Intentionality Jon Bubbett, etc.

“Taka-tee-and-uh”: The Power of Rhythmic Teaching in the Choral

Using Your Eyes, Ears, and Intuition: What Separates Novice Band Directors...

Celebrating Black Excellence in the Music Classroom

How to Begin or Transition to a Career in Higher Education

Establishing Extra Curricular Ensembles in the Community

MORE Innovative Uses of Technology in

Teaching Music in Title I Schools: Strategies for Success

Choral Warm-Ups: Connecting with Purpose

Ukulele + Pop Music in the General Music Classroom

Performances

Tuscaloosa County High School Percussion Ensemble

High School Symphonic Band 1

Middle School String Orchestra

Indian Springs School Chamber Choir

Jacksonville State University Brass Band

UNA Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir

Loeppky, Rebecca Rockhill BJCC Theatre 7:00 PM Thompson High School Wind Ensemble

Other Events

HED Luncheon

East Meeting Room A

- 1:00 PM

Past President’s Luncheon BJCC East Meeting Room C 12:00 - 1:00 PM

Exhibit Hall Reception BJCC East Ballroom 4:30 - 5:30 PM

ELEM/GEN Governing Board

Friday at a Glance

Clinic Sessions

Setting up for Success Brenda Benner

Sight Read with Confidence! Strategies for Beginning Sight Readers Sarah Burns

You’ve Been Called for an Interview; Now What? Chris Harper

Out of the Comfort Zone? Get in! BethAnn Hepburn

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Horns: The Buzz About Suzuki Brass Brenda Luchsinger

Making Music in an Age of Anxiety: We Need “US” Now More Than Ever Milt Allen

From Poof To Portato: A Sequence Of Bow Strokes Brenda Brenner

Encouragement, Empowerment, and Excellence: Behavior Strategies that Work Andrea Hayter

From Tokenism to Authenticity: Empowering Perspectives from Women in Wind Band Cara Morantz, L.Thomas, E.Charles

Keynote Address: Building a Culture of Excellence

From The Head Of The Table To The Podium: Equipping Women To Lead Diane Orlofsky, etc.

Simple and Practical Methods to Expand Your Conducting Vocabulary Robert

What Happens Behind the Stage? Entertainment and Media...

“Tech Time”: Intentional Voice Building Through an 8-Step Warm-Up, Francis Cathlina

From the Gym to Carnegie Hall: Favorite Repertoire for the 2-Part Choir Greg Gilpin

Digital Symphony: Mastering Classroom Composition with DAW-some Tools! Michelle McDonald

From Overwhelmed to Overjoyed: 9 Steps to Becoming a Happy Music Teacher Jeanette Mihalchik

Winning with Warmups

Professional Collaboration between Cooperating Teachers and Student Interns Sarah Burns, Blair Calloway

Teach the Band You Have to Develop the Program You Want... John Hillsman, etc.

What They Need And What You Need... William Petersen, etc.

Beyond Just the Song: Student-informed Teaching Practices and Music Making Lorelei Batisla-ong & BethAnn Hepburn

Exploration! Improving Your Choral Sound with Vocal Placement/Seating Techniques! Damion Womack

Rockin’ the Middle School Band: Turning Up the Fun Factor in Music Education! Michelle McDonald

Chip Chop!: How Music Activities Connect to ELA Standards

Conducting Masterclass: Unlocking Inner Artistry

Performances

Bumpus Middle School Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Band Josh Lynch, Jeff Fondren, Ben Posey

Featured Performance: Aeolians of Oakwood University Jeremy Jordan

8:00 AM

10:15 AM Pizitz Symphonic Band Leah Seng

Intercollegiate Band

Other Events

Exhibits Open BJCC East Ballroom 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

ELEM/GEN General Membership Business Meeting Forum J 9:00 AM

AVA General Membership Meeting Forum C 9:00 AM

AMEA General Session

Phi Beta Mu Luncheon Forum H-I 12:00 PM

Collegiate Luncheon BJCC East Meeting Rooms A-B-C 12:00 PM

AMEA Research Poster Session BJCC East Ballroom Foyer 2:30 PM

AOA Membership Meeting

University of Montevallo Alumni Reception BJCC East Meeting Room A 5:30 PM

UAB Alumni Reception

University of Alabama Alumni Reception

BJCC East Meeting Room B 5:30 PM

BJCC East Meeting Room C 5:30 PM

Samford University Alumni Reception Sheraton Hotel, Chamomile (Room 407) 5:30 PM

AMEA Awards BJCC Theatre 7:00 PM

Peas and Carrots: Partners in Orff Process

Practical Voice Pedagogy for Choral Educators

Clinic Sessions

Curiouser and Curiouser: Journeys Down the Research Rabbit Hole

Do You Hear What I Hear?

12 Ways to Improve Your Guitar Class

Theory is Awesome

Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance! 2-Part Repertoire to Get Your Choir Moving

Speaking The Local Language: Speaking and Understanding Like an Administrator

Please Touch!

Orchestra Sight Reading Session

When Inspiration Won’t Strike: Programming in the Modern World

Performances

Hewitt-Trussville High School Chamber Choir

Jacksonville State University A Cappella Choir

Other Events

Alabama Intercollegiate Band

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025

2:00-5:00 pm - Rehearsal Room Set-up at BJCC Ballroom N-O 7:00-9:00 pm - Alabama CBDNA Get-Together (Location TBD)

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025

8:00-9:00 AM - Registration at BJCC

9:00-11:30 AM - Rehearsal I at BJCC Ballroom N-O

11:30-1:30 PM - Lunch on your own

1:30-5:00 PM - Rehearsal II at BJCC Ballroom N-O

5:00-7:00 PM - Dinner on you own

7:00-9:00 PM - Rehearsal III at BJCC Ballroom N-O

Friday, Jan. 24, 2025

9:00-11:00 AM - Rehearsal IV at BJCC Ballroom N-O

11:00-1:00 PM - Lunch on your own

1:00-4:00 PM - Rehearsal V at BJCC Ballroom N-O

5:45-6:30 PM - Dress Rehearsal in BJCC Theatre

7:00 PM - AIB Performance in BJCC Theatre

Rehearsal Schedules at a Glance

All-State Jazz Bands

BJCC East Meeting Rooms D, F, J, and L (3rd floor)

Thursday, Jan. 23

Check-in 1:00 - 2:00 pm (East Meeting Rooms 3rd Floor Lobby) Rehearsals

2:00 - 5:00 pm 7:00 - 9:00 pm 9:00 - 11:00 pm - Jam Session

Friday, Jan. 24 Rehearsals 9:00 am - 12:00 pm 2:00 - 4:00 pm 4:15 - 5:00 - Masterclass 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday, Jan. 25

Final Rehearsal (BJCC Theater) 8:00 - 9:00 am

Performance (BJCC Theater) Saturday, Jan. 25, 10:45 am - Middle School Jazz Band

11:30 am - Bronze Jazz Band

12:15 pm - Silver Jazz Band 1:00 pm - Gold Jazz Band

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

5:00-7:00 pm

5:00-7:00 pm

5:30-9:00 pm

7:15-9:30 pm

7:15-9:30 pm

7:15-9:30 pm

AMEA Governing Board Meeting, Forum D (2nd Floor)

ABA Leadership Training, Forum C (2nd Floor)

Conference Registration, Sheraton Forum Registration Desk (Lower Level)

ABA Board Meeting, Forum C

AOA Board Meeting, Forum D

AVA Board Meeting, Forum F

8:00 am-5:00 pm Conference Registration, Sheraton Forum Registration Desk (Lower Level)

8:00-9:00 am

AMEA Leadership Breakfast, BJCC East Meeting Rooms A-B-C

9:00 am-4:00 pm FAME, Forum E (2nd Floor)

9:15-9:40 am

9:15-10:05 am

Thursday, January 23

ELEM/GEN Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Shades Mountain Elementary School Singers, Meredith DeVore, Conductor

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Get Your Voice Moving: Tips for a Healthy Day of Teaching, Shellie Beeman, Clinician

Whether you are a choral director, band director, voice or instrumental teacher, student teacher or general ed teacher, your voice is your livelihood and money maker. In this session, identification of vocal misuse and abuse, practical strategies and prevention methods, and healthy behaviors are discussed, all of which may be used by the music educator to prevent unhealthy vocal habits, successfully correct issues of the speaking and singing voice, model good voice use habits, and maintain teaching voice endurance.

9:15-10:05 am

HED Interest Session, Forum C

The What, Why , and How of Modern Band: In Training and in Practice, Shane Colquhoun, Clinician

Made popular by David Wish and Music Will (formerly known as Little Kids Rock), Modern Band is rapidly becoming commonplace in music education. Utilizing the popular music canon, Modern Band allows music educators to reach a different student population and diversify their music programs. In this presentation, the presenter will explore the following questions: What is Modern Band? Why is it needed addition to our music programs, and how can Modern Band be incorporated at the secondary level and in teacher preparation programs?

9:15-10:05 am

ABA Interest Session, Forum A-B

Seven Trips Through the Score: A Time Saving Technique for Learning ANY Score!, Justin White, Clinician

Time is our most valuable resource. In this session, participants will learn to utilize the “Seven trips through the score” method as a time saving score study technique. This method utilizes a simple color-coded marking system that progresses from the initial stages through the rehearsal process. We will inventory a sample score to find all of the educational values to guide our planning and instruction. The “Seven trips” method can be utilized with any type of score including band (jazz, marching, concert), orchestral and choral.

9:15-10:05 am ABA Concert Session, Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Tuscaloosa County High School Percussion Ensemble, Emily Gray, Conductor

9:50-10:15 am AVA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Muscle Shoals Middle School Mixed Chorus, Peter Wilder, Conductor

10:30-11:10 am Lobby Group: Alabama Symphony Orchestra INSPIRE Chamber Ensemble - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

10:30-11:20 am

ABA Interest Session, Forum C Through My Music: Empowering Girls to Lead, Myra Rhoden & Zandra Bell-McRoy, Clinicians

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

Thursday, January 23

Band programs can be a powerful platform for nurturing leadership skills in students that transfer to any profession. In some areas, leadership development for girls can differ. This session will offer insights for all educators and mentors on innovative approaches to help girls build confidence, self-evaluation skills, and self-advocacy. The goal is to equip students with the tools they need to step into leadership roles with strength and authenticity, through their music.

10:30-11:20 am AMEA Interest Session, Forum A-B

Shepherding Tomorrow’s Leaders to Artistry, Tim Lautzenheiser, Clinician

We have on our music-teaching palate-of-colors an endless combination of CONTENT and CONTEXT…of FACTS and FEELINGS… of COGNITIVE and AFFECTIVE. Each day offers the opportunity to connect KNOWLEDGE-to-WISDOM. In doing so we open the landscape of creativeness to our students, our schools, our communities…and OURSELVES! We are postured to be: THE TEACHER WHO MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

10:30 am-5:30 pm Exhibits Open, BJCC East Ballroom

11:00-11:30 am ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Let’s Play! Taiko Drumming in the Music Classroom, Jamal Kennedy, Clinician

How can you combine video games and drumming into your classroom? This session introduces you to the world of Taiko Drumming through the handheld lens of the Nintendo Switch. This will keep your students, young and old, engaged here and at home!

11:00-11:30 am

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Snap Back to Reality: A Guide for New Music Teachers, Lillian Kennedy, Clinician

You’ve landed your first teaching job, congrats! Now, it’s time to transition into the world of becoming a full-time music teacher. During this session, it’s all about keeping it real as we discuss the realities that many face when entering a first time teaching job. We will walk through some tips, tricks, and tools that you can use for your first year and beyond!

11:30 am - 12:10 pm Lobby Group: Auburn University Commercial Music Ensemble - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

12:00-1:00 pm HED Luncheon, BJCC East Meeting Room A

12:00-1:00 pm Past Presidents Luncheon, BJCC East Meeting Room C

1:00-1:50 pm

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Top Five Things I Wish I’d Known Before My First Year of Teaching

Nancy Barry, Sara Schiller, Joshua Wine, Gene Butler, & Henry Terry, Clinicians

College Music Teacher Education programs in Alabama and across the nation produce highly-qualified music teachers, but some things aren’t covered in the college curriculum. Music teachers are sometimes blindsided by unexpected situations and challenges that may involve students, parents, administrators, or community members. This session includes a panel of five experienced music educators moderated by a college music education professor*. Panel members represent elementary general music, junior high band, high school band, junior high chorus, and high school chorus. Each panelist will share their “Top Five” list and session participants will be invited to engage in discussion about unexpected challenges music educators may encounter and proactive solutions to help deal with (and avoid) those types of unpleasant surprises. College students, and both new and experienced music educators are invited to join us for a lively discussion about tips for successfully navigating the unexpected in your music classroom.

1:00-1:50 pm AOA Interest Session, Forum D

Improving the Ensemble Habits of Your Secondary String Players, Joseph Brennan, Clinician

Playing in an ensemble provides students with a unique and powerful people-connecting experience. Build habits among your students to better discern and adjust their playing skills by using the ensemble, the music, and the conductor to improve the ensemble’s rhythm, intonation, and artistry. Each student’s goal is to begin and strengthen the habits necessary to perform better together and enhance the ensemble playing experience. Habit development, especially regarding watching the conductor, is based on the book, “Tiny Habits” by BJ Fogg, Ph.D. of Stanford University. Musical examples along with teaching tools and gimmicks are used to show how these skills are developed. Many of these rehearsal techniques are adaptable for other instrumental and vocal ensembles.

1:00-1:50 pm AVA Interest Session, Forum C

7 Essentials for Developing Voices in Choir, Francis Cathlina, Clinician

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

Thursday, January 23

Attendees will learn the seven essentials to build efficient phonation in all singers. Drawing upon evidence-based principles, attendees will explore historical literature and modern scientific studies. Armed with actionable tools, participants will revitalize their choral pedagogy. This session readily applies to choral educators of all levels.

1:00-1:50 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Move and Groove: Modern Ideas for Movement in the Music Room, Vince Guerrero, Clinician

Looking for new ways to incorporate movement in your music class? In this session, we will explore how to combine modern ideas with traditional movement. You’ll leave with a toolbox of ideas to take back to your classroom!

1:00-1:50 pm

HED Interest Session, Forum Theatre

Music Teacher Mentoring: A Relevant & Replicable Approach, Matthew Kaperniak & Josh Byrd, Clinicians

Music teacher mentoring plays a crucial role in the growth and development of educators. This presentation will empower attendees to develop a meaningful and sustainable mentoring program in their network. The presenters will share proven strategies used in the implementation of a successful mentoring program funded through Title IV-A federal funds available to public school districts. This presentation will address challenges and solutions identified by the recent Music Teacher Profession Initiative (MTPI) report, including (1) funding, (2) scheduling and travel, (3) identification of topics, (4) use of videoconferencing, (5) purposeful engagement with peers, (6) sustainability, and (7) identification of leaders with various lived experiences. All attendees are welcome, from early-career educators seeking a mentor to experienced teachers looking to support the next generation.

1:00-1:50 pm

1:30-2:10 pm

2:15-3:05 pm

ABA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Grissom High School Symphonic Band 1, Theo Vernon, Conductor

Lobby Group: McKee Saxophone Ensemble - - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

ABA Interest Session, Forum G

The End is Only as Good as the Beginning - Planning for Success Before the Downbeat Tyler Arcari, Clinician

Join Tyler Arcari and Lori Hart, alongside the talented Guntersville High School Band, in this interactive session designed to enhance your rehearsal strategy. Discover how to streamline your warm-up and fundamental exercises by integrating them directly with the music you’re working on. Experience firsthand how identifying and targeting specific challenges within the music before rehearsal can lead to more effective fundamental development. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your approach to music rehearsal.

2:15-3:05 pm

ABA Interest Session, Forum A-B

Getting to the Art of it! Programming for Concert Bands with Intentionality

Jon Bubbett, Heather Henson, Jerrell Horton, Harry McAfee & Michael Chambless, Clinicians

Some of the biggest obstacles to a successful MPA experience occur before the students see the music! Programming for ANY band takes time, patience, and research. This session will explore thoughts and ideas on successful programming from four seasoned band directors for middle school, smaller, and larger bands.

2:15-3:05 pm

AVA Interest Session, Forum C

“Taka-tee-and-uh”: The Power of Rhythmic Teaching in the Choral Rehearsal, Nicholaus Cummins, Clinician

Adopting an auditory system centered around syllables for beats not only fosters a direct connection between sound and symbol, but also enhances rhythmic precision and supports the generalization of patterns across different meters. By prioritizing a soundfirst approach to rhythm literacy, educators can ensure a comprehensive understanding and accurate execution of rhythmic concepts, ultimately improving the efficacy of rhythm instruction.

2:15-3:05 pm

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum Theatre

Using Your Eyes, Ears, and Intuition: What Separates Novice Band Directors from the Experts?

Russell Greene, Clinician

When band directors rehearse their ensembles, they are presented with a sea of information: right/wrong notes...intonation...posture... phrasing...rhythms...and much more. But after the cut-off, what is the first thing to address? In this session, Dr. Russell Greene will share research that identifies how expert band directors evaluate musical performances and how young teachers can avoid common distractors.

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

2:15-3:05 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Thursday, January 23

Celebrating Black Excellence in the Music Classroom, Lillian Kennedy and Jamal Kennedy, Clinicians

February is Black History Month. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the numerous achievements made by many African Americans. Let us show you in this session, how we celebrate and uplift our students in our classrooms during this time of year, and how you can continue to promote black excellence for your students all year long.

2:15-3:05 pm

HED Interest Session, Forum D

How to Begin or Transition to a Career in Higher Education, Brandon Slocumb, Clinician

Drawing from experience both as an applicant for many (many!) university positions and from recent experience leading three search committees (Instructor of Percussion, Assistant Professor of Theory/Woodwinds, and Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of Choral Activities) the clinician will present pertinent information for any teacher who is considering a career in higher education. In this clinic, we will detail the processes of hiring, tenure, and promotion while giving tips to help applicants be successful in all aspects of college teaching.

2:15-3:05 pm

2:30-3:20 pm

3:30-4:10 pm

3:30-4:00 pm

3:30-4:20 pm

AOA Concert Session, Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Northridge Middle School String Orchestra, Trey Hedgemon, Conductor

Lobby Group: JCIB MYP Ensemble - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

Lobby Group: Exit 51 Saxophone Quartet - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

AVA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Indian Springs School Chamber Choir, Lee Wright, Conductor

HED Interest Session, Forum Theatre

Establishing Extra Curricular Ensembles in the Community

Douglas Black, Joe Bader, & Kent Eversmeyer, Clinicians

Join us for an enriching session that demystifies the process of starting and sustaining a youth community ensemble that complements and enhances local P12 school music programs. This dynamic presentation will explore practical strategies and solutions to overcome common logistical challenges. Discover how to secure spaces that inspire creativity and focus. Learn the secrets of effective grantsmanship to fund your ensemble’s activities and secure the resources you need to thrive. Build lasting community partnerships that not only support your ensemble but also strengthen the local arts ecosystem. Whether you are just contemplating the idea or are in the midst of developing a youth ensemble, this session will equip you with the necessary tools and insights to create a sustainable program that resonates within your community. Engage with fellow music educators, share experiences, and leave empowered to make a profound musical difference in the lives of young musicians. Join us to pave the way for the next generation of artists and community leaders through the power of ensemble performance.

3:30-4:20 pm

AOA Interest Session, Forum D

MORE Innovative Uses of Technology in Orchestra Rehearsals, Joseph Brennan, Clinician

Using technology in the secondary string rehearsal will help improve your students’ playing skills and make your rehearsals more effective, efficient, and engaging (the three E’s). The use of technology is an ongoing practice in many music classes and rehearsals. Now more than ever, teachers must keep pace with the technology familiar to their students. Attendees will leave with having had exposure to numerous and unique uses of hardware, software, and websites. All technology “morsels” will be demonstrated in a rapid-paced “smorgasbord” experience. They are all meant to be actively used in rehearsals.

3:30-4:20 pm

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Teaching Music in Title I Schools: Strategies for Success, Robert Bryant, Clinician

As the number of students and teachers making music in Title I schools continues to grow nationwide, more attention must be paid to the challenges and successes of these programs. This session will offer proven strategies for building and sustaining high-performing music programs in Title I schools.

3:30-4:20 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Choral Warm-Ups: Connecting with Purpose, Greg Gilpin, Clinician

The first connection with a choir is incredibly important, even magical. It creates the first communication and sets the tone for the rehearsal whether it’s the beginning of the year, the week, the day, or a one-time choral event. Greg Gilpin will present an engaging session of

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule Thursday, January 23

reminders, refreshers, and nuances involving “the meet and greet”, breath, vowel, diction, the “warm-up rut” and a list of “keeps” that will help you to connect and reconnect with your singers in every rehearsal. To top off the session, he will share favorite warm-ups from some of the most well-known choral conductors in the industry!

4:30-5:30 pm

5:30-7:00 pm

7:00-7:50 pm

Exhibit Hall Reception, BJCC East Ballroom

ELEM/GEN Board Meeting, Forum J

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

‘Ukulele + Pop Music in the General Music Classroom, Lorelei Batisla-ong, Clinician

There are many approaches to using the ukulele alongside pop music in a general music classroom. This session aims to model a teaching sequence that focuses the approach of “playing with the recording” into recognizable musical goals and skill development. We’ll use choice and scaffolding to create opportunities for student agency and self-determination while students practice ‘ukulele chords and technique that will enable them to play alongside familiar songs they seek out. Afterwards, we’ll discuss pedagogy that can make this session replicable for you in your planning/teaching context and successful for your students as they play the ukulele. We will use the C, F, G, and A minor ukulele chords BUT participant choice and differentiation is built into this session, so please come as you are! Playing experience is welcome and not necessary. There will be opportunities to play the barred instruments as well. If you have an ukulele please consider bringing it to the session.

7:00-7:50 pm

7:00-7:50 pm

8:20-9:10 pm

ABA Concert Session, Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Jacksonville State University Brass Band, Casey Thomas, Conductor

AVA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

University of North Alabama Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir

Ian Loeppky & Rebecca Rockhill, Conductors

ABA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Thompson High School Wind Ensemble, Graham Bennett, Conductor

Friday, January 24

7:30 am-1:00 pm

8:00-8:50 am

8:00-8:50 am

Conference Registration, Sheraton Forum Registration Desk (Lower Level)

ABA Business Meeting, Forum A-B

AVA Interest Session, Forum C

Sight Read with Confidence! Strategies for Beginning Sight Readers, Sarah Burns, Clinician

Sight reading should not be a dreaded nor skipped part of your choral rehearsal. Come to this session to learn strategies for developing sight reading skills with your beginning sight readers. This can be done by following a repertoire-based sequential sight reading curriculum while engaging your singers through group games and activities that will prepare them for sight reading at SCPA events. Lead your students along the path to sight read with confidence!

8:00-8:50 am

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

You’ve Been Called For An Interview; Now What? Chris Harper, Clinician

This session will provide tips and strategies to prepare for the extensive interview and make a positive impression that may lead to a job.

8:00-8:50 am

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J Out of the Comfort Zone? Get in! BethAnn Hepburn, Clinician

Vocal improvisation can be engaging and fun for our students when they first experience vocal exploration. This session will focus on making singing a fun way to improvise by exploring sounds with the voice first to build confidence in our students and then using the singing voice. Learn how melodic ostinato patterns can then be used for students to create their own arrangements using simply their voice and body percussion.

8:00-8:50 am

HED Interest Session, Forum E

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Horns: The Buzz About Suzuki Brass, Brenda Luchsinger, Clinician

The Suzuki Method has been a proven method of string and piano education for decades. The recent development of the Suzuki Brass method now brings this successful approach to brass students. Brass players throughout the world have been using the Suzuki pedagogy

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

Friday, January 24

and Suzuki Brass studios are popping up around the world, in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Throughout the United States there are now Suzuki Brass studios in California, Utah, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Tennessee, and locally in Alabama! Learn about the philosophy, the repertoire, and the creative games that make this method unique. See a selection of child-sized brass instruments, which provide students as young as four, the ability to hold their instruments and play with an ergonomically sustainable technique. Listen to the fast-paced progress of brass students who are currently using this method. Find out how the Suzuki Brass Community is taking the brass world by storm, and how the proven principles of the Suzuki Brass Method can transform your brass players into your next prodigies!

8:00-8:50 am

AOA Interest Session, Forum D

Setting up for Success, Brenda Brenner, Clinician

Some of the most important factors that determine success in playing a stringed instrument involve the beginning “set up” stage, which includes establishing a proper playing position and developing a free and open muscluar motion. Teachers can ensure success for their students by establishing a series of proceducres that break down the setup tasks into a sequence of exercises that allow their students to look and sound great.

8:30-9:10 am Lobby Group: Thompson High School String Quintet - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

8:30 am-5:00 pm Exhibits Open, BJCC East Ballroom

9:00-9:50 am ELEM/GEN General Membership Business Meeting, Forum J

9:00-9:50 am AVA General Membership Meeting, Forum C

9:00-9:50 am

HED Interest Session, Forum E

Making Music in an Age of Anxiety: We Need “US” Now More Than Ever, Milt Allen, Clinician

Stress, depression, anxiety and fear have pushed so many of us to the brink of collapse, resignation or career change. So much coming at us – and our students. Still, we’re supposed to teach, to make music. But in all the discussion and programs and plans, what happened to those who stand in front of the students? US? And does music even matter? Let’s take time to understand, reflect on and redefine ourselves and our mission – all of which have never been more important!

9:00-9:50 am

AOA Interest Session, Forum D

From Poof To Portato: A Sequence Of Bow Strokes, Brenda Brenner, Clinician

Bowing technique is a crucial foundational skill in string playing that creates good tone quality and forms the basis for musical style. In this session, methods of teaching fundamental bow strokes and bow choreography in group settings from beginning through intermediate levels will be explored. Literature utilizing the various strokes will be presented,

9:00-9:50 am

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Encouragement, Empowerment, and Excellence: Behavior Strategies that Work, Andrea Hayter, Clinician

Teaching is one of the most difficult jobs in America, and for many, student behavior is one of the most difficult parts of the job. While personal musicianship and best pedagogical practices are crucial for success in the classroom or rehearsal hall, teachers and directors often lack meaningful training on how to manage behavior. Participants will learn research- and evidence-based strategies to proactively set up students for success and respond effectively to misbehavior when, not if, it occurs. This is not a fancy program or the educational gimmick of the week. These techniques and strategies are practical and can be implemented immediately, enhancing classroom management systems already in place. They can be adapted to meet specific classroom or program needs. Participants will learn to respond to conflict using body language, timing, and specific phrases to diffuse tension and de-escalate behaviors. In addition to these reactive strategies, this session includes proactive strategies, such as how to systematically teach expected routines and behaviors to the point that misbehavior becomes a choice. We will also discuss specific interactions to show students they are valued as human beings as well as techniques to build rapport and trust to create a positive space where students can thrive.

9:00-9:50 am

ABA Interest Session, Forum A-B

From Tokenism to Authenticity: Empowering Perspectives from Women in Wind Band

Cara Morantz, Leigh Thomas, & Erin Charles, Clinicians

Presenters share personal experiences & individual stories of tokenization in professional settings. Research is shared that shows how gender bias is embedded within our music classes and can result in exclusive practices in areas related to students, teachers, instruments, classroom materials, and more. Tools and strategies are shared to empower all people to share their unique selves within the profession and to lead to a more inclusive future in music education.

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

9:00-9:50 am

ABA Concert Session, Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Bumpus Middle School Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Band

Josh Lynch, Jeff Fondren, & Ben Posey Conductors

9:30-10:10 am Lobby Group: Low Tide Tuba/Euphonium Octet - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

10:15 am-12:00 pm

AMEA General Session, BJCC Theatre

AMEA Business Meeting, Phil Wilson, Presiding Keynote Address: Building a Culture of Excellence, Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser

High-quality music programs across the nation have one commonality—students reside in a CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE. From the environment to the attention to musical detail, excellence is the filter of everything. Fueled by quality content and masterful context, it is the ongoing planting, nurturing, and harvesting of trust relationships with a constant focus on the why. One person makes a difference, and you are the one person!

Featured Performance: Aeolians of Oakwood University, Jeremy Jordan, Conductor

12:00-1:30 pm Phi Beta Mu Luncheon, Forum H-I

12:00-1:30 pm Collegiate Luncheon, BJCC East Meeting Rooms A-B-C

12:10-12:50 pm Lobby Group: AOA Division String Orchestra - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

1:30-2:10 pm Lobby Group: Hoover Horn Quartet - BJCC East Ballroom Lobby

1:30-2:20 pm

AMEA Interest Session, Forum Theatre

Panel Discussion - From The Head Of The Table To The Podium: Equipping Women To Lead Diane Orlofsky, Laura Moore, Hui-Ting Yang, Melinda Doyle, & Caterina Bristol, Panelists

The session is designed to cross AMEA organizational lines and will appeal to women at all levels of teaching experience. Members of the panel have held a variety of leadership roles within professional and performing organizations as well as higher education and will share their experiences as women leaders. Topics will include, but not be limited to: a) How to successfully navigate male-dominated organizational hierarchies b) How to maintain balance between careers, families, and professional musicianship c) How to avoid the “Tallest Poppy” and imposter syndromes d) How to grow and promote supportive mentoring infrastructures for women. Small break-out groups for Q and A’s with panel members will be included in order to facilitate “action-oriented” solutions for both novice and experienced women music educators and will also explore how AMEA can encourage the addition of women leaders within the profession.

1:30-2:20 pm

AOA Interest Session, Forum D

Simple and Practical Methods to Expand Your Conducting Vocabulary, Robert Abend, Clinician

This session will introduce practical methods and techniques for conductors to expand their conducting vocabulary through the use of everyday non-musical gestures. Additional focus will be spent on listening, reacting, and modifying gestures to be more effective. Attendees will gain resources that will allow for more efficient rehearsals in an ensemble setting.

1:30-2:20 pm

AMEA Interest Session, Forum C

What Happens Behind the Stage? Entertainment & Media from the Alabama Career and Technical Education Program, Renée Baptiste & Michael Roy, Clinicians

During the revision of the 2008 Alabama Career and Technical Education Course of Study, a new pathway emerged- Entertainment & Media. This new pathway includes updated standards that align with industry practices and the addition of new course options for your students. Encompassing programs for audio production, broadcasting, film, drone operations, and technical theatre, the addition of this pathway to the 2023 Course of Study Standards for Career and Technical Education serves to bridge what happens in front of the stage with what happens behind the stage. This session for secondary music educators provides meaningful context of the application of the 2023 Alabama Career and Technical Education Entertainment & Media pathway.

1:30-2:20 pm

AVA Interest Session, Forum G

“Tech Time”: Intentional Voice Building Through an 8-Step Warm-Up, Francis Cathlina, Clinician

Drawing upon historical practices and modern vocal pedagogy research, attendees will learn an eight-step warm-up sequence that will develop voices.

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule Friday,

1:30-2:20 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

From the Gym to Carnegie Hall: Favorite Repertoire for the 2-Part Choir, Greg Gilpin , Clinician

This genre is filled with so many possibilities for learning and performing! The field is broad depending on location, culture, size, voicing, ability, experience and sometimes the most important factor, length of rehearsal time. Greg Gilpin will share his favorite repertoire he has conducted in his 35 plus years in the choral music industry as composer, conductor, and editor. The 2-part music will range from openers, closers, the always difficult to find “second selection”, encores and various languages and cultures. Many selections will be available in other voicings for smaller choirs and men’s and women’s ensembles.

1:30-2:20 pm

AMEA Interest Session, Forum E

Digital Symphony: Mastering Classroom Composition with DAW-some Tools! Michelle McDonald, Clinician

Digital Symphony: Mastering Classroom Composition with DAW-some Tools!

1:30-2:20 pm

1:30-2:20 pm

ABA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Pizitz Symphonic Band, Leah Seng, Conductor

ABA & HED Interest Session, Forum A-B

Panel Discussion - What They Need And What You Need: What New College Music Majors Need And What High School Band Directors Need From Us?

William Petersen, Mark Walker, Ken Bodiford, & Lloyd Jones, Panelists

In this session, Dr. Will Petersen (University of South Alabama), Dr. Mark Walker (Troy University, Dr. Ken Bodiford (Jacksonville State University), and Dr. Lloyd Jones (University of North Alabama) will serve on a panel moderated by Lori Hart, President of the Alabama Bandmasters Association. The session will focus on what incoming music majors need to be successful in their degree program. Areas addressed will include what high school seniors should be preparing as players for their college auditions, the audition process, and what to expect in first and second year classes. In addition, session attendees will be able to share questions and comments through the moderator on the session topic from their position as high school directors. This clinic will be valuable for high school directors, high school students, and current collegiate music majors.

2:30-3:45 pm

2:45-3:35 pm

AMEA Research Poster Session, BJCC East Ballroom Foyer

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Beyond Just the Song: Student-informed Teaching Practices and Music Making Lorelei Batisla-ong & BethAnn Hepburn, Clinicians

Honoring students can begin with the songs we choose, but truly including students means considering them collaborators and co-designers of the music lessons they experience. Applying this shift in our teaching practice could include re-contextualizing ways we teach, but this need not be daunting, and is worth creating affirming opportunities for students. Join us for new general music lessons with a side-by-side reflection on how musical activities can (and should) acknowledge who students are, what they bring to the classroom, and honors how they show up to the classroom. Your comfortability is important. There will be choices in participation to honor your needs. These include moving, sitting, singing, barred instruments, recorders, and ukulele.

2:45-3:35 pm

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum A-B

From Overwhelmed to Overjoyed: 9 Steps to Becoming a Happy Music Teacher, Jeanette Mihalchik, Clinician

Are you looking for ways to find joy and balance in your classroom? In this session, you’ll be provided with practical tools and techniques for creating a joyful, balanced learning environment in your music classroom. We’ll focus on ways to embrace, equip, and empower yourself as a music teacher, so that you can design lessons that captivate, embrace diversity, and ignite your students’ enthusiasm. We’ll cover topics like planning engaging and inclusive lessons, using technology to enhance music learning, integrating movement and dance into your music lessons, and developing your own creative voice as a music teacher. You’ll leave with a toolkit of practical strategies and techniques that you can use to create a happy, balanced, and joyful learning environment in your music classroom.

2:45-3:35 pm

AOA Interest Session, Forum D

Winning with Warm-ups, Brenda Brenner, Clinician

An effective warm-up routine that integrates technical and musical elements as a preparation for playing repertoire is a key to successful teaching. Separation of both left- and right -handed difficulties before attempting them within the repertoire is essential. This clinic will examine how to design an effective routine and will present examples of warm-ups using standard repertoire from the string orchestra literature.

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

2:45-3:35 pm

Collegiate Interest Session, Forum C Professional Collaboration between Cooperating Teachers and Student Interns, Sarah Burns and Blair Callaway, Clinicians

The role of the cooperating teacher is vital to the success of the student intern. Success in the music classroom rests upon the professional relationship that develops between the cooperating teacher and the student intern. Through a panel discussion with current cooperating teachers representing elementary, instrumental, and choral areas, collegiate pre-service music educators will learn strategies for working collaboratively with a cooperating teacher during the student internship. Topics to be discussed include the role of the cooperating teacher as well as the the role of communication and expectations between the cooperating teacher and the student intern.

2:45-3:35 pm

ABA Interest Session, Forum Theatre

Panel Discussion - Teach the Band You Have to Develop the Program You Want: A Resource Based Approach to Program Growth and Improvement

John Hillsman, Regina Raney, Harry McAfee, Gena Nix, & Heather Palmer, Panelists

The session is planned as a 50 minute presentation to include a PowerPoint presentation that outlines the content that will be discussed. Each member of the presentation team will share in the actual presentation of the session materials. There is a concerted effort to rely upon each presenter’s experiences with regard to specific areas of content discussion. A portion of the session will include a panel type discussion with an allotted time of approximately 20 minutes where attendees will be afforded the opportunity to pose questions and/or concerns to the presenters to be followed by a concluding segment. Materials to include templates to develop program improvement plans will be made available to attendees. The session is truly designed to address concerns that band directors at all experience levels may encounter throughout the duration of a career.

2:45-3:35 pm

AVA Interest Session, Forum G

Exploration! Improving Your Choral Sound with Vocal Placement/Seating Techniques!

Damion Womack, Clinician

This session will focus on specific techniques to enhance the vocal and reading ability of your choral ensemble by experimenting with various seating arrangements and proper vocal placement. In addition, we will discuss how different seating and vocal arrangements issues can be greatly improve pitch and intonation by making a few modifications in your rehearsal settings. Attendees will also actively participate in various singing arrangements as a demonstration choir.

3:30-4:20 pm

4:00-4:50 pm

ABA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Fairhope High School Wind Ensemble, Meredyth Petersen, Conductor

AVA Interest Session, Forum C

Conducting Masterclass: Unlocking Inner Artistry, Francis Cathlina, Clinician

Attendees will leave the session with increased knowledge about 1) the mechanics of efficient conducting technique and 2) the implications of gesture on free choral tone and ensemble musical realization. This session readily applies to choral conductors of all levels.

4:00-4:50 pm

ABA Interest Session, Forum A-B

Rockin’ the Middle School Band: Turning Up the Fun Factor in Music Education! Michelle McDonald, Clinician

The goal of this session is to equip music educators with practical strategies and techniques to make middle school band more enjoyable, while also exploring creative ways of teaching fundamental skills, and increasing student retention in music programs. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities, collaborate with their peers, and share their own experiences and insights. The sessions will also include discussions on best practices for creating a supportive and inclusive band culture, as well as strategies for building strong relationships with students and their families. Participants will explore strategies to create a positive and engaging learning environment in their middle school band classes, which can help to increase student retention and achievement in music. Additionally, the strategies and techniques covered in this session can be used to enhance and modernize existing curricula as well as develop new music programs that meet the needs of students where they are today.

4:00-4:50 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Chip Chop!: How Music Activities Connect to ELA Standards, Morgan Soja, Clinician

If you’re wondering how to incorporate English language literacy into your music classroom, don’t panic! You’re already doing activities that reinforce music concepts AND language literacy. In this session, we will make easy connections between music learning activities and the ELA standards they reinforce.

4:00-5:00 pm

HED Student/Faculty Showcase Recital, Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

4:00-5:00 pm

5:30-6:30 pm

5:30-6:30 pm

5:30-6:30 pm

5:30-6:30 pm

7:00-9:30 pm

8:00-8:50 am

8:00-8:50 am

AOA Membership Meeting, Forum D

University of Montevallo Alumni Reception, BJCC East Meeting Room A

University of Alabama at Birmingham Alumni Reception, BJCC East Meeting Room B

University of Alabama Alumni Reception, BJCC East Meeting Room C

Samford University Alumni Reception, Sheraton Hotel, Chamomile (Room 407)

AMEA General Session, BJCC Theatre AMEA Awards

Alabama Intercollegiate Band, Stephen Peterson, Conductor University of Alabama University Singers, Morgan Luttig, Conductor

ABA General Business Meeting, Forum A-B

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Peas and Carrots: Partners in Orff Process, BethAnn Hepburn, Clinician

Saturday, January 25

Playful process with partners in the elementary music classroom requires strategies & considerations when pairing students. This session will model practical strategies to create partner sets while sharing playful Orff process lessons focusing on peer improvisation. Lessons will be for grades K-5.

8:00-8:50 am

AVA Interest Session, Forum C Practical Voice Pedagogy for Choral Educators, Matthew Hoch, Clinician

This session will provide practical and up-to-date information about science-informed voice pedagogy and will offer thoughts on how to apply current best practices into group-voice and choral situations. Recommendations and resources for professional development opportunities will be provided. The section will conclude with discussion and question-and-answer time with the clinician.

8:00-8:50 am

HED Interest Session, Forum E Curiouser and Curiouser: Journeys Down the Research Rabbit Hole, Diane Orlofsky, Clinician

This session will work to de-mystify the process of research and to illustrate how venturing “down the research rabbit hole” can be enhanced by the joy of curiosity. The session will also explore how to successfully choose a research area and then how best to navigate from broad topic identification to focused topic development. All types of research will be discussed with an emphasis on qualitative, historical, and action research. Examples from the presenter’s own research portfolio will be used as guides to discussion. This session will be especially geared toward graduate students and in-service teachers who are interested in conducting small action-research projects.

8:00-8:50 am

AOA Interest Session, Forum G Do You Hear What I Hear? Anne Witt, Clinician

Error detection is a skill that can always be improved, even for experienced teachers. This session will help participants “sharpen the saw.” It is for instrumental collegiate students and professional teachers, with examples played by intermediate string students. Scores will be provided. Dr. Witt will share some guidelines for predicting student errors, along with techniques to help students make fewer of them.

8:00-10:00 am Conference Registration, Sheraton Forum Registration Desk (Lower Level)

9:15-10:05 am

AMEA Interest Session, Forum C 12 Ways to Improve Your Guitar Class, Michael Christiansen, Clinician

This session is for those who are new to teaching classroom guitar as well as seasoned teachers. Participants will learn key elements of guitar pedagogy that will assist in developing and/or improving successful guitar instruction. Skills that every guitar student needs to develop will be presented. Other considerations, such as sequential skill development, pacing, and incorporating various styles of music and ensembles will be discussed.

9:15-10:05 am

AOA Interest Session, Forum D Theory is Awesome, Brenda Brenner, Clinician

2025 AMEA Conference Schedule

Learning music theory concepts deepens students’ understanding of music. Knowledge of intervals, solfege, chord structure, and musical form strengthen the comprehension of musical style, allows students to contribute intelligently to the musical decision-making process, and perform with more understanding and awareness. Strategies for building practical theoretical skills in the beginning through advanced string classroom through games, musical activities, and improvisation will be presented in this clinic.

9:15-10:05 am

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J

Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance! 2-Part Repertoire to Get Your Choir Moving, Greg Gilpin, Clinician

Greg Gilpin will share new and “tried and true” chorals and reproducible collections that come alive with movement and choreography! Come prepared to move and dance and learn some staging ideas that will add educational sparkle to your rehearsal and performance.

9:15-10:05 am Collegiate Interest Session, Forum G

Speaking The Local Language: Speaking and Understanding Like an Administrator, Mark Walker, Clinician

This session will present strategies that will assist the busy music educator with communication with their administrators and administration. Topics will include building relationships, use of various data, communication skills and methods, and use of appropriate jargon that communicate to administrators that you understand their language and their needs.

9:15-10:05 am ABA Interest Session, Forum A-B

Mentor/Mentee=Win/Win, Rebecca Warren, Clinician

The session will provide a blueprint as to how to develop a mentoring program that will: • Build relationships among ensemble members. • Help students develop greater leadership skills. • Grow a greater sense of “ownership” of the program by the students. • Provide additional time for student’s musical development. • Serve as supplemental “staff” for the program.

9:15-10:15 pm

10:30-11:20 am

AVA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

Hewitt-Trussville High School Chamber Choir, Allen Gillespie, Conductor Jacksonville State University A Cappella Choir, Eliezer Yanson Jr., Conductor

ELEM/GEN Interest Session, Forum J Please Touch! BethAnn Hepburn, Clinician

Placing manipulatives in students’ hands encourages a creative touch in student compositions. This session will model different objects to use as manipulatives and Orff rhythmic brick cards. Each lesson will have group collaboration compositions that can be done with body percussion or hand-held percussion.

10:30-11:20 am

10:30-11:20 am

AOA Interest Session, Forum G

Orchestra Sight Reading Session, Jordan Kirchner Ford, Facilitator

AVA Interest Session, Forum C

When Inspiration Won’t Strike: Programming in the Modern World, Morgan Luttig, Clinician

We all know the many hats we need to wear as choral music educators. How often does programming for our concerts come last on the list of priorities? It can be a challenge to feel inspired to program amidst everything else we’re tasked to do. Not feeling inspired in your programming? Come join this session to ignite your creativity! Discover how to develop concerts that take the singers and audience on a journey through thematic and framework programming. Participants in this session will explore how to weld meaningful performances made up of a wide variety of repertoire that speaks to students’ past, present, and future. Spanning inspiration to performance, this interactive session will include strategies to develop unique and poignant concert programs for singers and audience alike. Participants will leave this session with tangible ways to build concert programs full of meaningful repertoire, engaging transitions, staging, and interactive elements that culminate in an inspirational experience for all involved.

10:45-1:45 pm

1:00-3:00 pm

1:00-3:00 pm

ABA Concert Session, BJCC Theatre

All-State Jazz Bands

AVA Adjudicator Training, Forum C

AMEA Governing Board Meeting, Forum E

Fairhope High School Wind Ensemble

The Fairhope High School Wind Ensemble is the premier instrumental ensemble at Fairhope High School. Students are selected through a rigorous audition process that determines placement in either the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, or Concert Band. The Fairhope Wind Ensemble has earned superior ratings at the Alabama Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment for more than 30 years. Additionally, the Wind Ensemble has performed at the Alabama Music Educators Association Annual Conference in 2005.

Students in the Fairhope High School Wind Ensemble are regularly selected for the Alabama All-State Bands, the Alabama District VII Honor Band, Baldwin County Honor Band, and numerous university honor bands throughout the state, region, and nation. Graduates of the Fairhope Wind Ensemble have gone on to professional careers in music performance, music education, jazz, and music industry with many attending some of the finest music schools in the nation.

Meredyth Petersen is the Director of Bands at Fairhope High School in Fairhope, Alabama where she directs the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band and the Fairhope High School Buccaneer Band. Since her arrival at Fairhope in 2018 her bands have consistently received Superior ratings in local and state assessments. Mrs. Petersen was elected to membership in the American School Band Directors Association in June 2017. Mrs. Petersen is active as a guest conductor and clinician of bands throughout the state of Alabama. She is currently serving as the National Band Association State Chair for Alabama. She previously served as District Chairman for District VII of the Alabama Bandmasters Association from 2019-2023. In October of 2021, Mrs. Petersen was the recipient of the WKRG Golden Apple Award presented to teachers of excellence.

Grissom High School Symphonic Band 1

The Instrumental Music Department at Grissom High School strives to maintain a balanced program in all facets of music education, including the development of the individual musician. Over the years, the Grissom Band program has consistently produced excellent musicians who are in demand by colleges and universities throughout the Southeast and many parts of the country. Grissom students receive placement in one of the Alabama All-State Bands each year and receive scholarships to continue music in college. Awards and recognitions have come often to the Band. Since its inception, the Symphonic Band 1 has never received less than a superior rating in any adjudication. The band has performed for many prestigious events including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Dixie Classic Adjudicators Invitational Festivals, Alabama Music Educators Conferences, Southern Division MENC performances, Robert W Smith Concert Festival in Orlando, Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, Music For All Concert Band Festival (four times) and was one of the first 8 bands invited to the very first Music For All Concert Festival in 1992, Hawaii Pearl Harbor Survivor’s Parade (two times), Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival in NYC, Swing Central Jazz in Savannah, GA. (4 times), Austria’s Millennial Celebration, The North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, as well as numerous state and local music festivals. The tradition of excellence held by the Grissom High School Band program developed through the hard work and dedication of past members and directors is continued now through the hard work and dedication of our current students and directors.

Theo Vernon was the Associate Director of Bands at Grissom High School from 1985-2018 and as of June 2018 is the Director of Bands. He holds degrees in Saxophone Performance and Music Education from The University of Alabama and a Masters degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He attained National Board Certification in 2003 and re-certified in 2013. He was the first band director in the state of Alabama to receive this certification. At Grissom, Vernon directs the 200+ member marching band, directs the Symphonic Band I, rehearses with the Symphonic Band II and Concert Band, and also directs the “A” and “B” jazz bands. Mr. Vernon conducted the Grissom Band on stage at the prestigious MidWest Band Clinic in his first year of teaching in 1985. His Symphonic Band 2 performed at the Music For All Concert Band Festival as well as numerous Dixie Classic Festivals including consistent superior ratings at their Grand National Adjudicators Invitational Festival. Symphonic Band 2 was accepted and performed at the Alabama Music Educators Conference in January 2016. Recently the Symphonic Band 1 received all superior ratings and all A’s in every category at the ABA District 1 MPA. His Jazz Bands have represented the state of Alabama and the United States at several venues: Austria’s Millennium, “Essentially Ellington” Jazz Band Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Swing Central Jazz Competition. Mr. Vernon continues performing on his major instrument and doubles on woodwinds for local broadway musical productions. He is a founding member of the Alabama Winds Community Band that performed at Midwest in 2017 under the direction of Mr. Randall Coleman. Mr. Vernon is a member of: Alabama Bandmasters Association, MENC, NEA, NBA, Phi Mu Alpha, Jazz Educators Network and the Alabama chapter of Phi Beta Mu; the national band directors fraternity. Vernon has served as a District Chairman and Jazz Chair for the Alabama Bandmasters Association.

Hewitt-Trussville High School Chamber Choir

The Hewitt-Trussville High School Chamber Choir is one of three performance ensembles at HTHS. It is an auditioned choir selected from the one hundred voices in the choral department. Since its inception, the Chamber Choir has scored all Superior ratings at State Assessment. They frequently perform for churches and civic organizations in the community. December is a particularly busy time as they perform on local television, in several hospitals and the airport. The group represents many facets of the HTHS student body. Members are participants in band, jazz band, theater, athletics and various other student organizations.

D. Allen Gillespie taught choral music in the state of Alabama for 50 years. He started his career in education with two years at Wenonah High School, followed by 20 years at Huffman High and 13 years at ClayChalkville High. After a short, summer-long retirement in 2009, Gillespie received a phone call offering him a part-time position as choir director at Hewitt Trussville High School. He accepted, with a few conditions: there would be no car line duty, no lunchroom monitoring and none of the things that made him want to retire. He was just there to teach. It’s no wonder, then, that the job lasted 15 years, giving an entirely new generation the chance to be part of something successful. He often said he would retire when his son graduated from Hewitt Trussville, but he couldn’t manage to walk away for the six years that followed. In his career, Allen Gillespie served as the president of both the Alabama Choral Directors Association and the Alabama Vocal Association. Several of his groups were selected to perform at the conference of the Alabama Music Educators Association. Each year, his students also provided the background vocals for the Miss Alabama Pageant. In January, the Trussville Tribune named Gillespie their 2023 Person of the Year. Statewide, he was honored with a joint proclamation of the legislatures, signed by Governor Ivey, thanking him for his half-century of service to the young people of his communities. At the 2024 Alabama ACDA Summer Conference, Gillespie received the Thomas Smith Award for Excellence, which honors the highest level of quality in choral directing. Gillespie continues to direct the choir at Huffman United Methodist Church and acts as co-director of the Trussville Community Chorus. He will be spending more time at home, with his wife of 41 years, Sula, who is a nurse practitioner at Children’s of Alabama. They’ll both be making more calls to their son, Desi, who lives in Syracuse, New York with his wife, Emma.

Indian Springs School Chamber Choir

The Chamber Choir is the flagship choral ensemble of Indian Springs School. Founded in 1980, five years after Springs began admitting women, the Chamber Choir has represented the school at state, regional, and national conferences in cities such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago, and New York City. The ensemble has also traveled abroad to destinations in Europe and Asia, recently completing a successful tour of Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia in May and June 2024. Other recent highlights of the Indian Springs choral program include performances with the choirs of Georgetown University, American University, Mississippi State University, and Northwestern State University (Louisiana), as well as performances with full orchestra and soloists of Haydn’s The Creation and Mozart’s Coronation Mass.

Dr. Lee Wright is in his fifth year as the Director of Choral Music at Indian Springs School in Birmingham, Alabama. Previously, he served twelve years (2003-2015) as the choral director at John Carroll Catholic High School and two years (2018-2020) as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. In addition to his work at Indian Springs, Dr. Wright is a frequent singer in the Cahaba Chamber Chorale, a professional choral ensemble based in Birmingham. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Montevallo where he studied conducting with Robert Wright and Gary Packwood, and voice with Melanie Williams. For his doctoral work, Lee was awarded a Presidential Fellowship at the University of Georgia, working under the tutelage of Dan Bara, JD Burnett, and Liz Knight. Lee is a member of the Alabama Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association, currently lives on campus at Indian Springs, and enjoys exploring the world with Amanda, his spouse, and their two sons, Felix and Jasper.

Jacksonville State University A Cappella Choir

The A Cappella Choir is Jacksonville State University’s flagship choral ensemble performing a wide variety of standard choral literature from all musical periods, contemporary art music, and world music. Founded in the 1950s, the A Cappella Choir tours annually and participates in events hosted by the Alabama American Choral Directors Association and Alabama Music Educators Association. The A Cappella Choir is an auditioned ensemble comprised of students from various disciplines across campus. Recently, the A Cappella Choir debuted at Carnegie Hall and Spivey Hall and was named a national finalist in the choral performance category – college/ university division (smaller program) of The American Prize. In May 2025, the A Cappella Choir will tour Belgium and the Netherlands and compete at the CantaRode International Choral Festival in the Netherlands.

Eliezer Yanson Jr. is an associate professor of music and director of choral activities at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama where he conducts the A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers, and Civic Chorale and teaches undergraduate and graduate music classes. Prior to his appointment to Jax State, Eliezer served on the music faculty at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. He earned a doctor of musical arts degree in choral conducting from the University of South Carolina, a master of music in church music (conducting) and a bachelor of music in piano performance from Bob Jones University. His main conducting mentors have been Larry Wyatt and Warren Cook. Eliezer has also worked and studied with André Thomas, Don Portnoy, Paul Vermel, Dian Tchobanov and Hilary Apfelstadt. An active adjudicator, conference speaker, and clinician, Eliezer has conducted choirs and clinics in the United States, Thailand, Bulgaria, and in his native Philippines. He was the 2015 3rd Prize Winner of The American Prize in Conducting: College/University Chorus Division and has appeared in Carnegie Hall as conductor in 2015 and 2018. While passionate about conducting and teaching, Eliezer’s greatest role is being husband to Martha and father to Isabella and Andre.

Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord………................……………….........………...….Traditional

I’ll Be on My Way……………………………………………...............……………………………………….

Ethan Duce, soloist

Assisted by Alayna Endicott, violin

Kirchner

Jacksonville State University Brass Band

The Jacksonville State University Brass Band is an authentic “British-style” brass band, in that it incorporates cornets, tenor horns, and true baritones, with each part written in either Eflat or Bflat treble (except bass trombone). It is the only collegiate brass band in Alabama and the third brass band overall in the state. The JSUBB is an offshoot of the JSU Brass Choir, which has existed since the early 1950’s. The JSU Brass Band, in only their second month of existence, competed in the Third Section of the 2022 North America Brass Band Association Championships and placed fourth (missing third place by a quarter of a point). In April of 2023, it again competed in the Third Section of the NABBA Championships, this time winning the section with a score of 91.5. The JSUBB was chosen to perform at the 2024 AMEA Professional Development Conference.

Originally from Cedartown, Georgia, Dr. Casey Thomas is Assistant Professor of Trombone at Jacksonville State University. Dr. Thomas completed both his Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in trombone performance and pedagogy from The University of Iowa in Iowa City and his Bachelor’s degree in music education from Jacksonville State University. At JSU he teaches applied trombone, “Class Brass” for future music educators, and directs the trombone ensembles, Brass Choir, and Brass Band. Dr. Thomas is also a music instructor with the JSU “Marching Southerners”, (www.marchingsoutherners.org) winner of the 2021 Sudler Trophy, awarded biannually to a collegiate marching band of “particular excellence.” He is a low brass instructor with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (www.cadets.org) and a member of Resonant Projection, a professional trombone quartet dedicated to promoting new and undiscovered works. He is a founding member of the Durward Ensemble (www.durwardmusic.com), which performs across the country and is a chamber ensemble that promotes the diversity of contemporary music to a broad audience through performances of rarely performed works and by commissioning new works by living composers. Dr. Thomas is the principal trombonist of the Gadsden (AL) Symphony Orchestra, bass trombonist with the Rome (GA) Symphony Orchestra and has performed with various ensembles throughout the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Thomas is a member of the Alabama Music Educators Association, International Trombone Association, Pi Kappa Lambda and Omicron Delta Kappa honor societies, and is a faculty advisor to the Epsilon Nu chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the Theta Beta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. Previous academic appointments were at Berry College, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Ouachita Baptist University, Cornell College, and Saint Ambrose University. Dr. Thomas is married to Teresa Beary (a tubist) and together they have two cats, Feech and The Dude.

Muscle Shoals Middle School Mixed Chorus

The Muscle Shoals Middle School Chorus is located in the Muscle Shoals City School System in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The chorus is consistent with students grades 6th - 8th. The average number of students with the combined classes is around 70 students. The students meet by semester and include some after school rehearsals. The chorus has multiple concerts throughout the semester/ year. The concerts include a Halloween concert, Veterans Day Concert (combined with band), Christmas Cabaret Concert (combined with the Muscle Shoals High School Chorus), Black History Program, and Spring Concert (combined with the Muscle Shoals High School Chorus). They attend the annual State Choral Performance Assessment every year. Many of the students are involved in multiple honor choirs, musicals (school and local theatre) as well as multiple Arts classes such as band and art. Multiple students are chosen to attend local honor choirs and every year have students to be chosen for the Alabama All State Chorus Festival. The goal of the Muscle Shoals Middle School Chorus is to educate excellence to our students as well as community. It is an honor to be in this chorus.

Peter Wilder is the current director of the Muscle Shoals Middle School Mixed Chorus and music teacher at McBride Elementary School. Mr. Wilder has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education with a concentration in P-12 Choral Music. He has his Master of Education in Special Education with a concentration in 6-12 Collaborative Special Education. He is currently in his fourth year of teaching in the Muscle Shoals City School System and his fifteenth year of teaching overall. Mr. Wilder directs multiple choirs in the middle school which include a show choir, musical, and many various ensembles. He directs multiple programs for grades 3-5 at the elementary school. He enjoys teaching a wide variety of music from pop to classical. One of his many exciting moments in teaching is when he gets to connect the composers/ artists to the song the students are learning to sing. Students will enjoy the biography of the composer/artist and find where the spark happened when writing the song they are currently performing. Peter Wilder has enjoyed directing different musicals in his career such as Alice Jr., Wonka Jr., Little Mermaid Jr., Lion King Jr., and Matilda Jr. He is currently in his eighth year of serving as Music Minister at First Baptist Church in Tuscumbia. Mr. Wilder has a wife (Holly), two children (Emma 10 & Eli 8) and multiple pets.

Northridge Middle School String Orchestra

The Strings in Schools Program was founded in 2005 under the leadership of Dr. Anne C. Witt. Consisting of string orchestra programs in four middle schools and three high schools in the Tuscaloosa area, Strings in Schools has operated with the goal of a comprehensive string music program in every secondary school in the Tuscaloosa City School system. Founded in 2018, Northridge Middle School became one of those schools and has since maintained a tradition of musical excellence, with students regularly representing the school at district AllRegion and All-State Orchestra festivals, fine arts showcases, community events, and at national competitions such as Festival Disney. Students in the Northridge Middle String Orchestra Program believe in excellence attained through hard work and dedication. We teach critical thinking and problem solving by way of selfreflection and rehearsal/practice strategies. Everything from our style of performance to our choice of repertoire is designed to push boundaries and further develop our technical proficiency and artistic expression.

Trey Hedgemon is in his fifth year as the director of the Northridge Middle School String Orchestra. This program is part of the Tuscaloosa City Schools’ Strings in Schools Program, a program of which Trey himself is a product. He graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education in 2017 and completed his Masters Degree in Violin Performance from The University of Memphis in 2020. In addition to being an educator in the Tuscaloosa City School system, Trey also works with the University of Alabama Community Music School program, where he provides private lessons and assists with the University of Alabama’s Campus Orchestra and the Community Music School’s Adult Strings program. He also performs regularly with the Mississippi State University’s Starkville Symphony Orchestra, the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra in Tupelo, MS, and as a sub for the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra.

Pizitz Symphonic Band

Located in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Pizitz Middle School is home to 1200 students in grades 6 through 8. The band program serves 240 students annually. Sixthgrade students are placed in the Beginning Band program where they receive group and individualized instruction. In the seventh and eighth grades, students are placed into one of two abilitybased performing bands. The Pizitz Band is under the direction of Leah Seng and Victoria Chambless. The Pizitz Band program has a rich history of outstanding achievement. The band program has received many awards as well as earning consistent superior ratings at the yearly Alabama Bandmasters Music Performance Assessment. The band program has received the NBA Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence and the John Philip Sousa Sudler Silver Cup. The Pizitz Middle School Symphonic Band has performed at many prestigious events, including the Midwest Clinic, Music For All National Concert Band Festival, Alabama Music Educators Conference, NBA/CBDNA Southern Division Conference, and performances as invited ensembles at the major universities in Alabama. The Pizitz Band program includes a wonderful staff of sectional and lesson teachers. Students in all band classes are encouraged to take private lessons and have opportunities to perform throughout the school and community in small ensembles and perform at the Solo and Ensemble Festival. Percussion students may also enroll in our Percussion Ensemble class. Students in the band program are very active in other activities, including Athletics, Robotics, Math Team, Student Council, Ambassadors, and Drama. It is the goal of the band program to foster a lifelong love of music and to help students realize their potential in band and in life.

Leah Seng is in her twelfth year at Pizitz Middle School, and her twentieth year of teaching. A pianist and clarinetist, Mrs. Seng is a native of Chelsea, Alabama. During her tenure at Pizitz, the band performed at The Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Music For All National Middle School Band Festival, Southern Division CBDNA/NBA Conference, Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival, and the Alabama Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference as well as being an invited ensemble at the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Troy University, and UAB honor band festivals. The band program has received the NBA Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence and the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Cup. Before serving at Pizitz, Mrs. Seng established the band program at Columbiana Middle School. Her bands have been consistently recognized with superior ratings at Alabama’s Music Performance Assessment. In 2018, Mrs. Seng was named the Pizitz Middle School Teacher of the Year. The previous year, she was selected as the Rotary Teacher of the Year for Pizitz. She served on the staff of the University of Alabama Crimson Music Camp from 2001-2013 and is active as a guest clinician and conductor for middle school bands throughout the region. Mrs. Seng is a board member and clarinetist for the Alabama Winds community band. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for District IV of the Alabama Bandmasters Association. She has presented clinic sessions at the Alabama Music Educators Association and Alabama All-State Band Festival. Mrs. Seng holds degrees of Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Alabama, a Master of Music Education from the University of Georgia, and an Educational Specialist in Music Education from the University of Alabama. Her professional affiliations include the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the Alabama Music Educators Association, and the Alabama Bandmasters Association. In 2022, Mrs. Seng earned National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Music. Leah is married to Jordan and has two children, Julia and Jordan Jr.

R. F. Bumpus Middle School Percussion Ensemble

and Jazz Band

Robert F. Bumpus Middle School is a public school in the Hoover City School system serving 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Students from various ethnic and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds are taught within the Bumpus Band program. Four major band ensembles are available for students at Bumpus: Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Beginner Band. The Percussion Ensemble is developed through each concert ensemble. The percussion ensemble at Bumpus has developed repertoire for performances at the Music For All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival in Atlanta and at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference as part of their winds concert program. Each year the percussion ensemble at Bumpus regularly performs literature in their spring band concert. The Bumpus percussion students consistently earn places in the District IV Honor Band. The Bumpus Jazz Band has performed a wide variety of musical styles for local, regional, and national performances. Students in the Bumpus Jazz Band have earned a majority of the available spots in the Alabama All-State Middle School Jazz Band over the past four years. The Bumpus Jazz Band has performed at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame’s Student Jazz Band Festival earning superior ratings and receiving the Band of Distinction award twice. They have earned first place in the middle school jazz division at the Smokey Mountain Music Festival, and placed among the top three middle school jazz ensembles at the National Jazz Festival for two consecutive years. The Bumpus Jazz Band developed two jazz groups for performing at the first ABA Jazz Adjudication in 2024. Both ensembles earned straight superior ratings from all judges.

Mr. Josh Lynch is in his 21st year of teaching and his 18th year as band director at Robert F. Bumpus Middle School. Prior to his tenure at Bumpus, he was the assistant band director at McAdory High School from 2003-2006. During his time at Bumpus, the Bumpus Bands have received superior ratings at District Assessment, State Assessment, and the ABA Music Performance Assessment each year. They have also performed at regional and national events such as the Southern Star Music Festival and the Music in the Parks Music Festival in Atlanta, GA, Festival Disney in Orlando, FL, the National Festival of the States in Washington, DC, the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, TN, and the National Adjudicators Invitational in Atlanta, GA. In 2014, Mr. Lynch led the Bumpus Symphonic Band in their first ever performance at the AMEA In-Service Conference and their first ever performance at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, IN. He was the Bumpus Middle School nominee and the middle school nominee from Hoover City Schools for the Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame in the 2010-2011 academic year. In 2017, Mr. Lynch led the Bumpus Symphonic Band in their performance at the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival in Atlanta, GA. He served as Chairman of the Alabama Bandmasters Association, District IV from 2018-2020. Mr. Lynch was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity in 2024. He is a native of Montgomery, Alabama where he attended Saint James School, graduating in 1998. Mr. Lynch then attended Samford University where he received the Bachelor of Music degree, Cum Laude, majoring in music education in 2002. He and his wife, Melanie, have a son named Taylor and a daughter named Abby Grace.

Mr. Jeff Fondren is an assistant band director and director of percussion at Hoover High School. In addition to his instructional activities at Hoover High, he regularly teaches at both Bumpus and Simmons Middle Schools. As a performer he was a founding percussion member of the Birmingham area Celebration Winds and has been a member of several collegiate ensembles including the University of North Alabama Concert, Jazz, and Marching Bands. While studying on the graduate level he was a member of the EKU Percussion Ensembles, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He was also selected as a member of the Kentucky Percussive Arts Society All Collegiate Percussion Ensemble. He is a former member of the Florida Wave Drum and Bugle Corps and a percussion staff member and arranger at Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Fondren’s percussion ensembles at Hoover High have been invited to perform at the Auburn University Day of Percussion, Jacksonville State University Day of Percussion and the Alabama Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion numerous times. IN addition, the Hoover Percussion Ensemble has medaled every year since 2012 on the Southeastern Color Guard and Percussion Circuit. He is a resident of Helena, AL and enjoys spending family time with his wife, Shelia, and son, Jacob.

Dr. Benjamin Posey is the assistant band director at Robert F. Bumpus Middle School. He directs the jazz activities, the Bumpus Concert Band, and brass beginning bands. His ensembles regularly earn superior ratings at festivals and contests. Prior to the opportunity to work in the Hoover City Schools, he served for five years as the Director of Bands and Music Education Programs at Birmingham-Southern College. Dr. Posey previously served as the Chairman of the Jazz Division of the Alabama Bandmasters Association. He received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Samford University, a Master of Arts in Education specializing in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Ph.D. in Music Education from Auburn University. He lives in Hoover with his wife, Rebekah, their two daughters, Maddy and Aubrey, and their son, Jonathan.

CONCERT

PROGRAM

Percussion Ensemble

Arrhythmia................... Walker Martz ....TapSpace Publications

Vertical River ............... Blake Tyson .... Keyboard Publications

Aftershock ............. Nathan Daugherty ... C. Alan Publications

Over the Rainbow ....Harold Arlen..............Pioneer Percussion

Percussion Ensemble & Jazz Band

Stormbreak .................... Jim Casella ......TapSpace Publications

Jazz Band

13 O’Clock Jump ......... Zachary Smith ................. Belwin-Mills

Feelin’ the Funk ............. Erik Morales ....FJH Music Company

MonteBello Mambo Rock ..Michele Fernandex ......... Excelcia

Share Your Gift ............ Drew Zaremba ............... Belwin-Mills

Shades Mountain Elementary School Singers

The Shades Mountain Singers are a nonauditioned group of 4th and 5th graders at Shades Mountain Elementary School in Hoover, Alabama. The ensemble is open to any student who wants to participate in choir and welcomes students of all abilities and backgrounds, making it a very diverse group of children, which reflects the beautiful diversity of the school itself. Shades Mountain Singers rehearse once a week before school for thirty minutes. They perform at school programs and events, such as the Holly Jolly Sing Along, Spring Concert, Veterans Day program, and special school assemblies for rewards and recognitions. They have traveled to the Hoover Senior Center and Hoover City Tree Lighting. Shades Mountain Singers usually consists of 40-50 singers, which is nearly half of the 4th-5th grade at SMES. Some members participate in other choral groups such as Birmingham Boys Choir or Birmingham Girls Choir, or take private instrument lessons, but many simply love to sing. In Shades Mountain Singers, the director focuses on building beautiful tone and solid vocal technique. In their concerts, students sing in unison or two/three parts, utilizing ostinati, rounds, and partner songs to learn foundational skills of singing in harmony. They often accompany themselves on barred instruments or play unpitched instruments and recorder along with their performances. The goal of Shades Mountain Singers is to grow a community of students who love music, respect and value each other, and gain foundational musical and ensemble skills to carry them into a lifetime of music making and enjoyment. They hope to share this joy with the 2025 AMEA Conference.

Meredith Devore is the music specialist at Shades Mountain Elementary School where she teaches K-5 music and directs the SMES Singers. She has been the director of the Intermezzo Choir of the Birmingham Girls Choir since 2011. She earned her Bachelor’s of Music Education from Auburn University, graduating summa cum laude in 2008. Mrs. DeVore directed the choral program at Clay-Chalkville Middle School for seven years, growing the program and leading the choirs to perform locally as well as across the Southeast. At CCMS, her singers consistently earned superior ratings and were accepted into local and state honor choirs. Mrs. DeVore is also active in the music ministry at Hunter Street Baptist Church, where she sings in the worship choir and directs OneVoice, an ensemble of auditioned high school singers. Mrs. DeVore is a member of the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association, where she serves as a coordinator of the Young Voices Festival. She and her husband Elliott have two children, Hadley and Wyatt.

Thompson High School Wind Ensemble

The Thompson High School Wind Ensemble is the top performing wind band at Thompson High School. It annually consists of 40-50 auditioned wind and percussion members varying in the 9th-12th grades. This group consistently receives superior ratings at state performance assessment, has performed at various venues around the state of Alabama, and has even been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. The THS Wind Ensemble has also been selected to play at AMEA in the past, and is honored to be selected again.

Graham Bennett is a native of Hoover, Alabama. After graduating from Hoover High School in 2008, he attended Jacksonville State University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. Mr. Bennett participated for three years in Drum Corps International as a member of the world class organizations Spirit and The Madison Scouts. Mr. Bennett went on to receive his Masters in Music Education from William Carey University in the Summer of 2019. He previously served as the director of bands at Jacksonville High School and Mary G. Montgomery High School before joining the faculty of Thompson High School in 2019. Mr. Bennett currently serves as the Director of Bands at Thompson High School and directs with the Thompson High School Marching Southern Sounds, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble. During his tenure at Thompson High School, the Wind Ensemble has received consistent superior ratings at State Assessment, been selected to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference, and the Marching Southern Sounds have ranked top three in the state of Alabama as well as performing at various national venues. Alabaster City Schools has also received “Best Community for Music Education” from the NAMM Foundation annually under the leadership of Mr. Bennett and all of the other incredible faculty and staff within the music education programs in ACS. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and their two beautiful daughters currently reside in Helena, Alabama.

Tuscaloosa County High School Percussion Ensemble

The Tuscaloosa County High School Percussion Ensemble has made great strides in the last few years. The Percussion Ensemble has become its own class, separate from the concertbased classes that are offered. The studio has continued to grow in size and ability, and in the spring of 2024 performed their first-ever Percussion Ensemble Concert in the TCHS Band Program’s history. Our percussion students regularly: audition and perform at various concert and marching honor bands within Alabama and Mississippi; participate in the Alabama Allstate Band Festival; perform with our TCHS Blue Velvet Orchestra; perform as percussion accompanist for our TCHS Choir Program, TCHS Musical Theatre Department, and Alabama Young Voices; and represent our state within the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Drumline. One of our Percussion Ensemble’s most important cornerstones is family. Our students have worked hard to foster a sense of family within their group. They understand the importance of quickly taking in our freshman class and transfer students and working in not only musical concepts and abilities, but continuing to build and foster a culture that does not rest on laurels and constantly seeks to improve. This has been the ultimate actor in our Percussion Ensemble growth. We are excited at the opportunity to perform at the 2025 Alabama Music Educators Association Conference!

Emily Christine Gray earned her BA from Auburn University in 2014 in Instrumental Music Education and MA from the University of Alabama in 2016, also in Music Education. While at the University of Alabama, she worked as a graduate teaching assistant for the University’s School of Music and University Bands. After Masters, Ms. Gray was the Director of Bands at Brookwood High School (Brookwood, AL) from 20162019. Since 2019, Ms. Gray has been a part of the drumline staff as the cymbal tech for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band that performs in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, NY. This is Ms. Gray’s 6th year at Tuscaloosa County High School and serves as the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Percussion. She is the conductor of the Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble and assists with the Wildcat Marching Band. Ms. Gray is also the ABA District 5 Chairman. Ms. Gray is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Alabama Bandmasters Association, Percussion Arts Society, and Kappa Kappa Psi.

University of Alabama University Singers

University Singers is the University of Alabama’s premiere vocal ensemble. Made up of undergraduate and graduate singers representing over twenty academic majors, this ensemble serves as an ambassador for the university both on- and offcampus. University Singers explores a wide variety of repertoire with a focus on storytelling through the choral art, and frequently commissions and premiers works by living composers. Throughout their history, the University Singers have toured nationally and internationally. They were also honored to be selected as a featured choir for the 2024 Alabama Vocal Association All-State Choral Festival. The UA University Singers are known for their thoughtful and innovative performances, flexibility in vocal styles, and passionate choral singing.

Morgan Luttig, Ph.D. is a dynamic choral conductor, music educator, and clinician. As Director of Choral Activities at the University of Alabama, she conducts the University Singers, Treble Chorus, and Druid City Chorus while overseeing the undergraduate and graduate conducting programs. Prior to her current role, Luttig served as the Visiting Choral Director at Washington and Lee University. She also previously taught K-12 choral and general music in Savannah, GA, and Princeton, NJ. Her commitment to the choral arts extends beyond the classroom, as she actively serves in leadership positions with the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO). As a conductor/ clinician, Luttig has led honor choirs, clinics, and choral festivals at the state, regional, and district levels throughout the United States. Inspired by her work with varying ages of choirs throughout her career, her research in topics such as conducting pedagogy, inclusive programming, student engagement, and representation in the choral arts have led to presentations and research posters at ACDA and NAfME conferences. Holding a Ph.D. in Music Education (Choral Conducting) from Florida State University, Luttig also earned a Master of Music Education (Choral Emphasis) degree from Westminster Choir College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Washington and Lee University.

University of North Alabama Chamber Choir & Collegiate Singers

An elite group of singers, the UNA Chamber Choir appears on and off campus at events such as the Renaissance Faire in Florence, on tour with the UNA Collegiate Singers, in collaboration with other groups such as the UAH Concert Choir and Huntsville Youth Orchestra, and as part of the Alabama ACDA Collegiate Choirs Festival. In the spring of 2009, they had the privilege of representing the University of North Alabama on the Department of Music & Theatre’s first international tour in its history, taking them to Italy. Since then, the group toured to Costa Rica in the springs of 2011 and 2019 and Ireland in spring 2013 as part of UNA’s Study Abroad program; they completed a second tour to Italy in the spring of 2015. They have been featured performers at the AMEA conference in 2006, 2013, 2016, and 2019. They joined the UNA Collegiate Singers for the inaugural convocation of the Alabama All-State choir in the spring of 2021 and will perform for the Alabama Music Educators Association In-Service Conference this January.

An ensemble inclusive of any UNA student on campus with a passion for singing. The UNA Collegiate Singers perform regularly in concerts with the other UNA choral ensembles and other departmental ensembles as well. They joined the UNA Chamber Choir for the inaugural convocation of the Alabama All-State choir in the spring of 2021 and will perform for the Alabama Music Educators Association In-Service Conference this January.

VISIT THE EXHIBITS

THURSDAY, 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM (EXHIBIT HALL RECEPTION 4:30 - 5:30 PM) FRIDAY, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

BJCC EAST BALLROOM

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Ian Loeppky has been Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Alabama since the fall of 2003. His studies began at the University of Manitoba, continued at the University of Minnesota with Kathy Romey, and finished at the CollegeConservatory of Music in Cincinnati with Earl Rivers and Stephen Coker. He has also studied with Helmuth Rilling, Dale Warland, Frieder Bernius, Martin Isepp, Charles Bruffy, and Bobby McFerrin. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the Alabama Vocal Association, the International Federation for Choral Music, Choral Canada, Phi Mu Alpha, and Pi Kappa Lambda. He is a member of the editorial board for Anacrusis, the journal of Choral Canada. Loeppky has worked as a singer, scholar, conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and arranger in Canada, the United States, and Portugal. He directs the two elite choral ensembles at UNA and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting, choral techniques, world music, and graduate choral literature. In addition, he is founder of the Florence Camerata, Artistic Director of the Huntsville Community Chorus Association, a frequent contributor to the ACDA Choral Journal and Anacrusis, and is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the region and internationally. His works are published by Kelman Music Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, UNC Jazz Press, and Carl Fischer. Under his direction, the UNA Chamber Choir and Una Voce sing regularly at local and regional concerts, festivals, and conferences.

Rebecca Rockhill assumed the post of Director of the UNA Collegiate Singers in the spring of 2017. Her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences for the Alabama Music Educators Association and for American Choral Directors Association. Her choral department boasted more students selected to the Alabama All-State Choir and the All-State Show Choir than any other school in the state. As well, she has served as a collaborative pianist for the All-State Choir and vocal director and pianist for the AllState Show Choir many times. Rockhill has been the recipient of “Teacher of the Year” in Florence City Schools three times. She has received the Frances P. Moss Award for Alabama Choral Director of the Year, and was selected Educator of the Year by the University of North Alabama Alumni Association. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama, Master of Music Education from Eastern Kentucky University, and Education Specialist from the University of North Alabama. She has served as Repertoire and Standards Chair for ACDA and District Chair for the Alabama Vocal Association. She has also served as President of Alabama Vocal Association. She is choir director and organist at First Presbyterian Church in Florence.

CONCERT PROGRAM

Combined Choruses

Measure me, sky.......................................................................

Hagenberg ................................ Elaine Hagenberg Music EH 1014 Chamber Choir

Hodie ......................................................................................... Healey Willan ..............................................................Carl Fischer CM469

Ave verum corpus ...................................................................Camille Saint-Saëns .....................................................................CPDL 05608

Holding the light ..........................................................................Brittney Boykin ...........................................................Graphite GP-BO22 Time .........................................................................................Jennifer Lucy Cook ............................................Hal Leonard HL01157658

“Richte mich Gott” from Drei Psalmen, Op. 78 .................Felix Mendelssohn ...................................................................CPDL 00841 Collegiate Singers

The last words of David ........................................................Randall Thompson ..........................................................E.C. Schirmer 2294

“The Ground” from Sunrise Mass ...............................................Ola Gjeilo .................................................Walton Music HL08501774

Homeward bound ...........................................................Marta Keen/arr. Mack Wilberg ........................................................Alfred 38070

“J’entends le moulin” from Trois ........French-Canadian folksong/arr. Donald Patriquin .......chansons folkloriques earthsongs S-06

Let the music fill your soul .........................................................Jacob Narverud ................................................Hal Leonard HL00266478

Combined Choruses

Until I reach my home ..............................................................Brandon A. Boyd ...............................................Hinshaw Music HMC2537

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Robert Abend is in his third year as the Associate Director of Bands at the University of South Alabama. He completed his graduate studies at Michigan State University (DMA) and Western Michigan University (MM). Prior to his graduate studies, Rob taught instrumental music in Michigan for eight years. Most recently, he served as the Director of Bands at Dakota High School in Macomb, Michigan from 2013 to 2018. Under his direction the Dakota High School band program was made up of approximately 200 students. In 2015, the DHS Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Michigan Music Conference.

Trying to categorize Dr. Milt Allen is as difficult as trying to describe his musical interests. An internationally recognized conductor, music educator, speaker, author and music advocate – not to mention avid adventurer – describes an individual often taking the trail less-traveled: sometimes literally! From Tanzania to Haiti, Rwanda to Compton, CA and Mt. Kilimanjaro to Everest Base Camp, Milt’s extensive experiences from teaching and performing music from grassroots to university levels, then creating his own non-profit: The Music Guerrilla, only begins to describe his musical passion. Dr. Allen is an educational artist for Jupiter Instruments and serves as a clinician for GIA/Meredith Music Publications.

Tyler Arcari (b. 1989) is a composer, arranger, author, and clinician whose music is played around the world. He received his B.A. and M.S. degrees in music education from Troy University where he studied with composer Ralph Ford and Euphonium under Dr. Mark J. Walker. As a teacher, Tyler has taught at both the middle and high school levels. Tyler’s primary focus when writing has been for the young musician. He became passionate about and interested in the needs of developing musicians as a classroom teacher and finds writing for musicians at this level to be very rewarding. Tyler’s music can currently be found published through Excelcia Music Publishing, Wingert-Jones Publications, Kendor Music Publishing and Carl Fischer Music. His original works have been featured across the globe, appear on numerous state contest lists and events such as the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. For more information about the music of Tyler Arcari, visit his website www.tylerarcari.com

Joe Bader received his B.M.E. from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio and a MS in Music Technology from Indiana University, where he was awarded the Chancellor’s Scholar Award. His career of 34 covered both public and private schools in Georgia and Alabama. Under his leadership, the Youth Brass Academy of Huntsville, a British style brass band, took first place in their division at the 2024 NABBA championship. Mr.Bader’s band programs consistently received superior ratings and numerous honors. The Five Forks Bronco Band was selected to perform at the Southeastern United States Band Clinic at Troy State University where he was awarded the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association. His band at The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, received numerous invitations including participating the Lord Mayor of Westminster New Years Day Spectacular which included a stage performance in the Royal Albert Hall. Within GMEA, he served as district secretary and district chair, and organized many district and state level events. Mr. Bader also served as organizer for the Georgia Independent School Association All-Select band for their annual conferences. As an early leader utilizing technology in the classroom, he presented at the Georgia Teacher Technology Conference and was invited to present at the ASTA national conference. He has served as an adjudicator, clinician and trumpet performer in Georgia and the South Carolina. As a performer, he has participated in the Charleston Symphony, the Modernaires Big Band, the Tara Winds, The Turner Field Band for the Atlanta Braves, The Brass Band of Huntsville and is a freelancer in the Huntsville area. Joe is married to Holly Ralston and is the proud father of two boys, Zane and Kenny.

Dr. Renée L. Baptiste serves as Department Head of the David L Walters Music Department as well as Director of Music Education at Jacksonville State University in Alabama. A frequent member of accreditation reviews, Dr. Baptiste has contributed to SACSCOC, CAEP and NASM self-studies. She has presented at the International Conference on Technological Directions for Music Learning, the Mountain Lake Colloquium for Teachers of General Music Methods, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and the Southern Chapter of the College Music Society where she previously served on the board as the music education representative. A strong advocate of music education from K-12 education and beyond, she served as a member of the Advocacy Leadership Force (ALF) of the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA). Dr. Baptiste graduated from William Carey College (BM); Eastman School of Music (MM), and the University of Florida (Ph.D.). She teaches graduate courses in music research and music assessment at JSU. Dr. Baptiste served on the 2023 Arts/AV CTE Course of Study Revision Team.

Nancy H. Barry is Professor and Music Education Coordinator in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Auburn University. She earned the Bachelors of Music Education from Middle Tennessee State; Master’s degree and Ph.D. in music education, and certificates in Electronic Music and Computers in Music from Florida State. Barry has numerous peerreviewed publications and presentations at national and international professional conferences. Barry is active in professional organizations such as NAfME and the College Music Society and was a screener for the 2022 and 2023 Grammy Music Educator Award. Barry received the Auburn University Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lectureship in 2022.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Lorelei Batisla-ong, BM, Southwest Texas State University; MM Instrumental Conducting, Texas State University; PhD Music and Human Learning, The University of Texas at Austin. She served on the AOSA Board of Trustees and was State Director of NAfME – Texas. They are the Lead Editor of Decolonizing the Music Room and co-author of Elemental Ukulele: Pathways and Possibilities. Lorelei’s research interests are ukulele pedagogy, teacher noticing and cognition, skill acquisition and development, and equity in the classroom and teaching profession. When she’s not teaching they’re generally wondering why everything is the way it is and how it can be better.

Shellie Beeman, Associate Professor of Voice at Jacksonville State University, earned her D.A. degree in Voice Performance with a secondary emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology from Ball State University. Dr. Beeman is a CMVT through the McClosky Institute. In 2017 she completed the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Training at Shenandoah University. She is an active performer, clinician, and adjudicator, as well as a member of NATS, NAfME, CMS, and Classical Singer. Dr. Beeman has presented clinics on Vocal Health in Indiana, Colorado, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. She is a published author with Elsevier’s Journal of Voice, Classical Singer Online, and a contributing author for Whaley’s book series, Voice Teacher’s Cookbook.

A native of Monroe, Georgia, Zandra Bell-McRoy has been a music educator since 2002. Upon graduating from the University of Georgia in 2001 with degrees in music and music education, Dr. Bell-McRoy began her career as a high school band director in Troup county, and later Clayton county. She has also served as a middle and high school band director in Clayton, Walton, and Gwinnett counties. Bands under her direction have consistently received superior and excellent ratings. Her most recent appointment is as Director of Bands at Cedar Shoals High School, in which she oversees all aspects of the comprehensive band program and serves as fine arts department chairperson. Dr. Bell-McRoy also serves as the Virtual PLC Lead for 6-12 Band with the Georgia Department of Education. Dr. Bell-McRoy has numerous professional affiliations and serves as a flutist with Tara Winds. She is an active clinician and adjudicator in the state of Georgia. She resides in Monroe, Georgia with her husband, Darvin McRoy.

Dr. Douglas Black, Jr is the Assistant Professor of Music Education and Low Brass at Alabama A&M University and the Director of Education for the Brass Band of Huntsville. Where he teaches applied low brass, music appreciation, and music education courses. Doug has previously served on the music faculty at Nottoway County Public Schools, Halifax Community College, Winthrop University, and the University of South Carolina. Doug has performed concertos with the Winthrop University Wind Symphony, Carolinas Wind Orchestra, Peoria Municipal Band, and given recitals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Alabama, and Canada. Doug is an active orchestral tubist; he was the principal tuba of the Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Union Symphony Orchestra, and was the principal tuba and cimbasso of Opera Carolina. Doug received a Bachelor’s degree in Music with emphasis in Music Education with an Undergraduate Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, a Master of Music degree in Tuba Performance from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Doug is an Eastman Tuba Artist.

Dr. Kenneth G. Bodiford has served as the Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama since 1994. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education at Jacksonville State University, his Master of Music in Music Education and Wind Ensemble Conducting degree at East Carolina University and his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting degree from The University of Alabama. Dr. Bodiford is the conductor of the Jacksonville State University Chamber Winds, which is the top performing wind ensemble at the university. In addition to his responsibilities as the Director of Bands, Dr. Bodiford teaches the instrumental conducting courses at the university and maintains a busy national schedule as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor. Dr. Bodiford is also the director of the internationally known “Marching Southerners.” Since Dr. Bodiford’s appointment to the Jacksonville State University director’s position, the band program has consistently grown in both quantity and quality each year. Under his leadership, The Marching Southerners have grown from approximately 144 members to a membership in excess of 450. Dr. Bodiford served as the Executive Director of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps (JSU Spirit) from 2001 until 2007.

Joseph Brennan received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education from Temple University studying violin and trumpet. In 2022 Joe retired after 37 years of teaching, primarily as the director of orchestras in the Haverford Township School District, near Philadelphia. Joe is currently an adjunct music instructor at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, and Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Joe has presented sessions at ASTA, MidWest, NAfME, TMEA, and others. Joe has twice been chosen to attend the Juilliard School’s “Conductors Workshop for Music Educators”. In 2006, PMEA recognized Joe with the Citation of Excellence Award.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Brenda Brenner is Professor of Music and Eugene O’Brien Bicentennial Executive Associate Dean (Interim) at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She specializes in string music education, teaching applied violin, as well as courses in violin and string pedagogy. Brenner received a BM and BME from Wichita State University and an MM and DMA in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music. In addition to her appointment to the Music Education Department, she serves as co-director of the IU String Academy, a position she has held since 1993. Her String Academy students have been featured in concerts in major venues throughout the United States and have presented tours throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. As director of the Fairview Project - a program in which every first and second grader in a Title I school learns violin as part of the curriculum - Brenner researches the cognitive, academic, and social outcomes of early instrumental music instruction. An active performer of chamber music throughout the United States, Brenner partners with her husband, organist Christopher Young. She also teaches and conducts at the IU Summer String Academy and is Assistant Director of the IU Retreat for Professional Violinists and Violists. Brenner is an active international clinician, is a Past President of the American String Teachers Association, and is on the board of the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.

Dr. Caterina Bristol is Assistant Provost and Dean of the Harold Lloyd Murphy Graduate School at Alabama State University. For over two decades, she has promoted diversity and equity in the arts and higher education. She is experienced in accreditation and serves on various commissions and boards. She is a member of the Commission on Accreditation (National Association of Schools of Music), a visiting evaluator for NASM, and on the Executive Committee of the Alabama Council of Graduate Deans. Dr. Bristol is an advocate of student knowledge and skill development through traditional instruction, experiential learning, and entrepreneurial activities.

Dr. Robert L. Bryant III currently serves as Associate Professor, Music Education Program Coordinator, and Music Department Assessment Director at Tennessee State University. Throughout his career, he has successfully built and sustained high-performing programs in Title I schools and HBCUs. His research focuses on diversifying the music teaching profession.

Jon Bubbett received his BMEd from Troy State University and a MMEd from VanderCook College of Music. His thirty eight year career closed with twenty six years at Thompson High School in Alabaster, AL. His bands have performed for the Music for All National Concert Band Festival (2011, 2015) and the Alabama Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference (1997, 2009, 2014, 2019). He has served as a clinician participant for the Alabama Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference and the Midwest Clinic. Mr. Bubbett has concert band music published through Excelcia Music Publishing, RWS Music, Belwin, Eighth Note Publishing, and JonBubbettMusic.com.

Sarah Burns, assistant professor of music education at Jacksonville State University, received her D.M.A. in Music Education from Shenandoah University (VA). She received the M.M.E. with Kodály emphasis from Capital University (OH) and the B.S. in School Music from Freed Hardeman University (TN). Dr. Burns has completed certification in both Kodály (Capital) and OrffSchulwerk (Memphis) with training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, World Music Drumming, and Montessori music education. She teaches undergraduate/graduate music education courses and supervises intern and practicum students. Research interests include historical research in music education, community music making, shape-note singing schools, and geriatric music engagement.

Gene Butler is Director of Bands at Smiths Station High School in Smiths Station, AL. Dr. Butler received his Bachelor of Music Education from Troy University, Masters of Science in Music Education from Troy University, and Doctor in Curriculum and Leadership from Columbus State University. Dr. Butler is in his 8th year of teaching at Smiths Station and 14th year overall. Dr. Butler was awarded the 2015 Outstanding Young Music Educator of the Year from the Alabama Music Educators Association. Ensembles under the direction of Dr. Butler have consistently received superior ratings at marching concerts and concert assessments throughout the Southeastern United States.

Josh Byrd serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of West Georgia. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, teaching conducting and music education courses, and supervising student teachers. Prior to his appointment he served as the band director at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin. Dr. Byrd is an active clinician and advocate for teacher mentorship, having presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, NAfME Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference, and CBDNA National Conference. Dr. Byrd lives in Carrollton with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Tripp and Haley.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Blair Callaway is currently an Instructor of Instrumental Music Education at Jacksonville State University. He received his Master of Arts Degree from the University of North Alabama in Florence, AL and his Bachelor of Science Degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL. Blair taught high school band for twenty-eight years in Georgia and Alabama. Blair is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Alabama Music Educators Association, American School Band Directors Association, National Band Association, Georgia Association of Jazz Educators, and the Epsilon Nu Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Francis Cathlina, D.M.A. (he/him) is a distinguished Vietnamese-American conductor and educator. He is currently the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Memphis, where he oversees the Choral Area, leads the DMA and MM Choral Conducting program, and conducts the University Singers (flagship SATB). A two-time GRAMMY-nominated educator with 55+ presentations across the globe, international publications, and an active honor choir schedule, Dr. Cathlina holds degrees from UNT, Michigan State, and Baylor. He is grateful to his husband, family, and friends, who embrace his blend of Vietnamese culture and Western upbringing. www.franciscathlina.com

Michael Chambless is in his ninth year as Director of Bands at Thompson Middle School, and his tenth year of teaching. Mr. Chambless is a native of Hoover, Alabama and a graduate of Hoover High School. Prior to his time at Thompson, Mr. Chambless began his teaching career at Hillcrest and Duncanville Middle Schools in Tuscaloosa, AL. His bands have consistently received superior ratings at the Alabama Bandmasters Music Performance Assessment. Under his direction, the Thompson Middle School Symphonic Band has performed at The University of Alabama Middle School Honor Band Festival, the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference, and the Southeastern Regional Music for All Concert Festival in Atlanta, GA. His bands have also performed in Orlando at both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Mr. Chambless is a two time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence, and a recipient of the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Young Band Director Award. Mr. Chambless holds a Bachelors of Science in Music Education from The University of Alabama and a Masters in Education from the American Band College at Central Washington University. He currently resides in Helena, Alabama with his wife Cindy, who is a professional musician, and their daughter Caroline.At Thompson Middle School, Mr. Chambless conducts the Symphonic Band and Concert Band 2, and assists with Concert Band 1. He also teaches beginning band horn, trombone, and trumpet classes.

Dr. Erin Charles is the Director of Visual and Performing Arts and Upper School Band Director at Randolph School, a private PK-12 school in Huntsville, Alabama. As an arts administrator, she oversees faculty members in the Fine Arts Department who specialize in band, choir, theatre, and visual arts. She serves as an advocate for Fine Arts in the Randolph and Huntsville community. Dr. Charles also enjoys directing the Upper School Concert Band and her main instrument is clarinet. Prior to her position at Randolph, Dr. Charles was a professor in the Music Education Department at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mike Christiansen is Professor Emeritus in the Music Department at Utah State University. He was Director of Guitar Studies at USU for 39 years. His awards include: Utah State University Professor of The Year, Caine College of the Arts Professor of the Year, and a U.S. Carnegie Professor of the Year. He has been a TED speaker. He has authored/co-authored over 40 guitar and ukulele instruction books and appears on hundreds of instruction videos. He works as a soloist, with the Brazilian group, Evening in Brazil, with the Lightwood Duo, and the band, Mirage

Shane Colquhoun, Ph.D., is a Grammy-nominated music educator with a diverse musical background in music education and production. Shane is the Assistant Professor of Music Technology and Contemporary Music Styles at Alabama State University. He has published in General Music Today, the Media Journal in Music Education, and is the author of The Producers of Pop: A Comprehensive Plan for Studying Popular Music Producers.

Dr. Nicholaus B. Cummins is the new Director of Choral Studies at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi where he conducts the State Singers and OPUS. Cummins was previously Director of Choral Activities at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, where his Northwestern Chamber Choir performed at the 2024 Southern ACDA Conference, 2019 NCCO 8th National Conference, and competed and placed in multiple international choral competitions. He has presented topics at multiple state and regional conferences and published in the ACDA Choral Journal. Additionally, he has been a clinician for multiple college, high school and junior high honor choirs. Dr. Cummins previously taught high school choral music at Hewitt-Trussville HS in Trussville, Alabama & John Marshall HS in San Antonio, Texas.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Dr. Melinda S. Doyle is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montevallo. Dr. Doyle received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral and orchestral conducting from Louisiana State University. Choirs under Dr. Doyle’s direction have received invitational performances for American Choral Directors Association Conferences, Alabama Music Educators Association Conference, Florida Music Educators Association Conference, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra as well as some of the finest performance venues throughout Europe. The Montevallo Concert Choir has toured in the United Kingdom and France and has performed at such venues as King’s College in Cambridge, Canterbury Cathedral, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Under Doyle’s direction, the Concert Choir made its New York Carnegie Hall debut in a 2019 featured performance. Dr. Doyle currently serves as the Alabama American Choral Directors Association Past President and is the founder and artistic director of the Alabama Choral Society.

Kent Eversmeyer is the president of the Brass Band of Huntsville. Under Kent’s leadership the Brass Band of Huntsville hosted three North American Brass Band Championships in Huntsville, won numerous awards at the NABBA Championships, and established a new Huntsville Youth Brass Academy. Kent also is the hornist with the Rocket City Brass Quintet and serves on the board of the Madison Scouts Alumni Association.

Greg Gilpin is a celebrated ASCAP award-winning choral composer and arranger and a highly respected choral conductor. He is known throughout the United States leading performances at New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. His international appearances include the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, Royal Festival Hall in London, England and Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. Mr. Gilpin is also a producer and musician in the recording industry and is Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, a distinguished choral publisher. In 2020, Mr. Gilpin’s “pandemic pivot” took him down an additional career path by becoming certified as a financial coach and a certified Boss Organizer, creating his own professional organizing business, Maestro Organizing. This work has led to appearances on Fox and NBC network affiliates. Mr. Gilpin can also be seen on the hit TV show “Hoarders”, alongside Dorothy Breininger, renowned producer and organizer. Mr. Gilpin is a proud member of ACDA, NAfME, SAGAFTRA, and is a Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Dr. Russell Greene is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL. He teaches courses in music education and conducts the ASU Wind Ensemble. His research contributions are in music publications such as The Journal of Band Research, The Instrumentalist, the Ala Breve, and The Horn Call. Dr. Greene is the former Director of Bands at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL, and Assistant Band Director at Oak Grove High School in Bessemer, AL. He is an active composer and arranger, writing halftime shows, concert pieces, and chamber music for ensembles throughout the southeast. Dr. Greene received a B.S. in Music Education from Troy University, an M.A. in Music Education from The University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from The University of Alabama.

Vince Guerrero is a former middle school band director and elementary music teacher. He earned his BA in Music from American University where he performed with multiple ensembles including the AU Symphonic Band, Jazz Workshop, and Saxophone Quartet. He was also active in the Pride of San Antonio Showband until moving to Nashville, TN in 2021. Here he began at QuaverEd as a Customer Service Specialist but has now moved to a new challenge as a Music Specialist Trainer.

Dr. Chris Harper is the band director at Long County High School in Ludowici, Georgia, and has been in music education for 23 years. He has earned music education degrees from Valdosta State University, Troy University, and Liberty University. Dr. Harper has studied the psychology of musician motivation from a conductor’s perspective under Dr. Dale Lonis through the Canadian Wind Conductors Development Program in Canada. He is also a noted authority on the Saito Conducting Method, having studied with Wayne Toews and Morihiro Okabe. Dr. Harper has been featured in The Instrumentalist magazine for his ideas on ensemble programming, integration of music technology within a wind band program, and effective practices for recruiting and retaining band students. He has presented clinics at music conferences in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, Alabama, South Dakota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and the 2021 NAfME National Conference, and his sessions have been well received by his audiences.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Andrea Hayter has a dual education background with experience both in elementary music and English as a Second Language. She has taught in private schools, public schools, and abroad. In 2019, she won the Teacher of Excellence Award from the Arlington Masonic Lodge for her work building community in the elementary music classroom. In 2023, she won the Texas Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages TexTESOLer of the Year Award for the San Antonio region. She presents teacher training seminars that help empower teachers with strategies to manage their classrooms and engage every student.

Heather M. Henson graduated from Samford University and began her teaching career in Jefferson County at Gardendale HS, Oak Grove HS, and Pittman MS. She was the visual coordinator, clarinet instructor, and winter guard director for Brookwood HS for twelve years. The last sixteen years Ms. Henson has built a music program at American Christian Academy where she directs the Symphonic, Marching, Intermediate, Beginning, and Royal Bluezz Jazz Bands. She teaches HS Choir, Music Theory, MS Speech, and is the advisor for the Tri-M chapter. Professional memberships include the NAfME, NBA, AMEA, Women Band Directors International, and the International Clarinet Association.

BethAnn Hepburn teaches general music and choir for Streetsboro City Schools. She is an Orff Schulwerk teacher trainer for AOSA and conducts elementary honors choirs and Orff ensembles. BethAnn is a frequent presenter for Orff and Kodaly chapters and presents workshops internationally. She is president-elect for the Ohio music education association, and she is serving her second term as the North Central Division representative on the Nafme General Music Council. BethAnn is co-author of Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Classroom Books 1 -4. She is a Ph. D. candidate in Music Education at Kent State University in music education.

John Hillsman is a graduate of Troy University where he served as drum major of the “Sound of the South Marching Band in 1983 and 1984. He holds BS, MS, and EdS degrees in Music Education. He was drum major and a member of the staff of the McDonald’s All- American Band. He has completed 38 years as a band director teaching at Hawkinsville High School, Westover High School, Washington County High School, Jeff Davis High School, and currently at Beauregard High School. He is an active adjudicator and clinician. He was recently named as the Beauregard High School and Lee County Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year. He holds memberships in NAfME, ABA, NBA, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Beta Mu.

Matthew Hoch is professor of voice at Auburn University. Prior to this appointment, he spent six years as assistant professor of voice at Shorter College/University. Hoch’s students have gone on to successful careers in both classical and musical theatre genres and have won awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC), NATS, MTNA, ACTF, the Vann Vocal Institute, and others. He has appeared as a soloist with the Oregon Bach Festival, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Vox Consort, Harmonie Universelle, the Hartford, Rome, and Nashua symphony orchestras, the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, and the United States Coast Guard Chamber Players. Hoch is the 2016 winner of the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship, awarded jointly by the Voice Foundation and NATS. He is the author, coauthor, editor, or coeditor of ten books and his articles have appeared in numerous academic and professional journals. He is associate editor of the of the “Voice Pedagogy” column for the NATS Journal of Singing, chair of the NATS/Rowman & Littlefield editorial board, and editor of the “On the Voice” column for the ACDA Choral Journal. In 2018, he presented performances and master classes in the United Arab Emirates as was awarded the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts Teaching Excellence Award.

Jerell Horton has been the band director at Vestavia Hills since 2006. He is a graduate of Samford University. Prior to his appointment at Vestavia Hills High School, he served as the assistant director at Pizitz Middle School and Vestavia Hills High School. While at Vestavia Hills, the bands have consistently earned superior rating at District and State concert band assessments. The Vestavia Hills Wind Ensemble performed at the 2011 Alabama Music Educators Conference, and the Music For All National Concert Band Festival in 2013. The Vestavia Hills High School Rebel Marching Band performed in the 2010 London New Year’s Day Parade in London, England and the 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. In January 2024, the Rebel Marching will performed in the Rome New Year’s Day Parade. The Vestavia Hills High School band was awarded the National Program of Excellence Southern Division Blue Ribbon Award presented by the National Band Association. Mr. Horton has served as an honor band clinician within the states of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia. He is also on staff for the Auburn Summer Marching and Leadership camp and the Music For All Summer Symposium. Mr. Horton a National Board Certified teacher and was named to SBO magazine’s 2014 list of 50 Directors Who Make a Difference. Mr. Horton was honored to serve on 2017 and 2022 Music for All Tournament of Roses teaching staff. He is married to Monica Horton (also an educator) and they have four children, Madina Jaimes, Israel, Chism, and Loula Grayce.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Dr. Lloyd E. Jones is Director of Bands at the University of North Alabama. He is conductor of UNA Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, and he directs the Jazz Band, Studio Lab Band, Jazz Combo, and the Marching Band. In addition to these performing organizations, Dr. Jones teaches selected saxophone and clarinet students, Music Fundamentals and Band Arranging & Drill Writing, and conducts the Miss UNA Pageant Orchestra at the university. As a professional musician, Dr. Jones has performed regularly throughout the southeast and continues to be an active saxophonist. He has served as an adjudicator and clinician at numerous contests, festivals, and honor bands throughout Alabama and Tennessee. He is an active composer, music arranger, and show designer for over 50 universities and high schools in the Southeast and Mid-Western United States. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the Alabama Music Educators Association, the Alabama Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Pi Kappa Lamda, and the National Band Association. Dr. Jones holds a BFA in Graphic Design, a Bachelor of Music Education Degree, a Master of Arts in Education Degree, and a PhD in music education. He and his wife, the former Amy Gist, reside in Greenhill, AL with their two sets of twins: Lloyd Edward and Katherine Elizabeth; Hugh William and Walter Andrew.

Aaron Jamal Kennedy is currently a 6th year PreK-5 General Music Teacher/Show Choir Director at Oak Park Elementary School. Jamal holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in Instrumental Music PK-12 at the University of North Alabama. During his time at UNA, Jamal ook part in various ensembles, including the UNA Composition Studio. In 2018, he received an award from the AMEA Young Composer’s Competition. In 2022, Jamal was also the recipient of he Alabama Arts Alliance Grant. He is also co-owner of The Chromatic Duo, a podcast that advocates for Black Music Educators, with his wife, Lily.

Lillian Kennedy is currently a PreK-5 General Music Teacher/Show Choir Director at Woodmeade Elementary School. Lillian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in Instrumental Music PK-12 from the University of North Alabama. During her time at UNA, she participated in the UNA Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble/Group, and Shoals Symphony. She was also nominated as the 2022-2023 New Teacher of the Year at her current position and continues to provide a positive musical environment for her students. Lillian is also co-owner of The Chromatic Duo, a podcast that advocates for Black Music Educators, with her husband, Jamal.

Matt Koperniak serves as Performing Arts Coordinator for Fulton County Schools. Under his leadership, Fulton County Schools continues to be named a “Best Community for Music Education” from the NAMM Foundation, recognizing commitment and access to music education. He also leads the Senior Music Education Seminar at Georgia State University. Dr. Koperniak previously served as Director of Bands at Riverwatch Middle School. Under his direction, the Riverwatch Symphonic Band performed at The Midwest Clinic and received the Sudler Silver Cup from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Dr. Koperniak served as President of the Georgia Music Educators Association from 2021-2023.

Dr. Brenda Luchsinger is an Associate Professor of Music at Alabama State University, an HBCU in Montgomery, AL, where she teaches horn, brass methods, and a variety of musicianship courses. She earned a BM in Applied Horn and Instrumental Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, MM in Horn Performance from the University of Florida, and DMA in Horn Performance from the University of Alabama. Dr. Luchsinger currently holds orchestral positions with the Tuscaloosa and Montgomery Symphony Orchestras, and Sinfonia Gulf Coast (Destin, FL). She performs frequently with other orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the southeast. In addition to an active performance schedule in the US, she has performed in concerts, chamber and solo recitals in Canada, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. In 2018 she became the first American horn player certified by the Suzuki Association of the Americas to teach the Suzuki Method for horn. She serves on the Brass Committee for the International Suzuki Association and is a lead developer of the materials for the Suzuki Horn Method. In addition to a large private studio of both traditional and Suzuki students, she established a Suzuki Brass for Children outreach program at ASU for the campus community. Dr. Luchsinger is a frequent presenter, giving lectures at regional workshops, state, national and international conferences, including multiple presentations at International Horn Symposia. She is in demand as an adjudicator for competitions and serves as a juror for the International Horn Competition of America. She is also a board member with ClefWorks, an arts advocacy organization in Montgomery, which specializes in bringing unique and diverse musical and music education experiences to the community. Dr. Luchsinger currently serves as the International Horn Society’s Area Representative for Alabama and is the News Editor for The Horn Call. Her teachers have included Charles “Skip” Snead, Paul Basler, Patrick Miles, and Michael J. Arendt.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Morgan Luttig, Ph.D. is an active conductor, music educator, and clinician. As the Director of Choral Activities at The University of Alabama, she directs the university choirs and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting and techniques. She also serves as Associate Editor of Recording Reviews for the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s (NCCO) publication, The Choral Scholar and American Choral Review. Luttig earned her Ph.D. in Music Education (Choral Conducting) from Florida State University. In the 2020-21 academic year she was named one of six winners of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for her work with the university choirs and choral music education courses. Prior to FSU, she was Visiting Choral Director and Visiting Instructor of Music at Washington and Lee University, directing the university choirs and running the Choral Conducting Mentorship Program. She began her teaching career as a K-12 choral and general music educator in Savannah, GA. Luttig is a leader in the American Choral Directors Association, serving multiple roles at the regional and national levels. She maintains an active conducting and speaking schedule, serving as choral clinician and interest session presenter around the country. Choirs under her direction have sung around Europe and at Carnegie Hall, and the UA University Singers were invited to perform for the Alabama Vocal Association All-State Choral Festival in 2024.

Harry McAfee spent 11 years building an exceptional program at Bottenfield Jr. High. He also had the experience of rebuilding the Shades Valley Band from 29 students to over 230 before moving to the award winning Hoover High School. Mr. McAfee developed successful programs through effective means of recruiting, retention, planning, and teaching. He continues to teach privately and to mentor young teachers in the Birmingham area. He embraces opportunities to share his experience and expertise with young teachers struggling to develop their programs. Mr. McAfee was recently inducted into the Phi Beta Mu Alabama Bandmasters Hall of Fame.

Michelle McDonald is a graduate of Troy University and started her teaching career in Ozark City Schools in 2007 as the director of bands for D.A. Smith Middle School and the associate band director at Carroll High School. Currently, Mrs. McDonald is the band director at Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools -Middle and co-directs the Music Industries program in the Tuscaloosa Fine Arts Academy at Bryant High School in the Tuscaloosa City Schools system. She is actively involved in community outreach to bring awareness and support for the performing arts, having served as the Director of the Dothan Community Band, founding board member of the Dale county performing arts Council, director of the Dale County community choir, and founding member of the Alabama Music Industries Education Association. Mrs. McDonald has served as a clinician and adjudicator across Alabama and had the great honor of serving as a guest clinician for the Middle School SEUS Honor Band. Professional memberships include National Association for Music Education, Alabama Bandmasters Association, Women Band Directors International, Music Will Teacher, and Alabama Music Industry Educators Association- founding member.

Jeanette Mihalchik is a National Board Certified music teacher with almost 3 decades of experience teaching general music, choir, Orff ensembles, and group guitar. She is an Arts Integration Specialist, an instructional coach, a national presenter and a mentor. She has studied Arts Integration at The Kennedy Center through their CETA program and is Orff Certified. She has presented at MEA’s all over the country and mentors music teachers through The Happy Music Teacher Academy. Jeanette is the author of resource books, Stories That Sing and Stories That Sing Too!

Dr. Laura Moore is Chair of the Music Department at the University of South Alabama, where she also serves as the Director of Choral Activities and teaches conducting and music history at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has been the chorus master for Mobile Opera for 15 years and recently was named the Artistic Director of the Eastern Shore Choral Society. Dr. Moore has served as the President of Alabama ACDA and Registrar for the Alabama chapter of NATS. She serves as a visiting evaluator for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of NASM as Chair of Region 8. Dr. Moore is active as a collaborative pianist, adjudicator, clinician, music director, and church musician.

Dr. Cara Morantz is Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Music Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She coordinates the music education program, conducts the Symphony Band, and teaches courses in instrumental methods, graduate foundations, band and aural skills. Prior to her arrival at UAB, Dr. Morantz spent nine years in the public schools of Cobb County, Georgia, where she taught at both the middle school and high school levels. Dr. Morantz graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music from the University of Miami, and earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Gena Inglis Nix is graduate of Jacksonville State University. She was a member of the Leadership Staff in the Marching Southerners as serving as Drum Major from 1997-1999. Gena is currently in her 24th year as band director. She is in her third as band director at Ohatchee High School. Previous teaching experience includes J.B. Pennington High School, Northwest Whitfield Middle School, and Gaston High School. Gena is an active member of NAfME, AMEA, and Sigma Alpha Iota. In 2022, and the Rho Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. Gena served ABA District 2 as chairman and vice-chairman 2019-2022.

Dr. Diane Orlofsky is Professor Emerita of Music and Music Education at Troy University. She currently teaches in a part-time capacity for Troy and serves as the Graduate Music Education Program Coordinator. Orlofsky was inducted into the 2024 Alabama Music Education Association (AMEA) Hall of Fame and received the Lacey Powell Outstanding Music Educator award from AMEA in 2016. She was the 2014 recipient of the Wallace D. Malone Distinguished Faculty award which recognizes outstanding scholarship, teaching, leadership, and service, as well as the Ingalls Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching and the Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Scholar award, among other honors. Orlofsky is a producer and co-host of the Troy Public Radio podcast InChoir: Conversations about Choral Music, the Arts and Life and is currently writing a second book about Jerome Bruner. She serves as a Co-Chair for the AMEA Leadership Initiative.

Heather Palmer is in her 22nd year as a music educator in the state of Alabama. She has been the associate director of bands at Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham Alabama since 2004. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Samford University. Throughout her career, her bands have consistently earned superior ratings at Music Performance Assessment and other band festivals. Mrs. Palmer has been a marching band adjudicator, guest clinician, and guest conductor. She is a member of the National Association of Music Educators, AMEA, ABA, and the Rho Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity.

Dr. William Petersen was appointed to the faculty of the University of South Alabama in 2012 where he serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music and is in charge of all facets of the university’s band program. He conducts the USA Wind Ensemble, the premier instrumental ensemble at USA and serves as director of the 260-member, nationally recognized Jaguar Marching Band. In addition, Petersen also teaches courses in graduate music education, marching band techniques, and conducting. Under his direction, the USA Wind Ensemble has developed a reputation for excellence in performance and served as the featured guest ensemble for the 2015, 2016, and 2022 Alabama All-State Band Festival. In addition, he has been active in promoting new music for the medium with recent consortium commissions from composers Katahj Copley and James Barnes. The Jaguar Marching Band has established itself as a nationally recognized ensemble, both in musical ability and marching technique, during Petersen’s tenure. Petersen received his BME in Instrumental Music (2002), MM in Wind Conducting (2005) and DM in Wind Conducting (2013) from Indiana University. In 2024 he was elected into the membership of the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.

Regina Yates Raney completed her 34th year in public education and her 23nd year as the band director at Austin Middle/ Junior High School. Mrs. Raney earned her Bachelors of Music Education, BS in Math Education, and Master of Arts in Education from the University of North Alabama. She earned her EdS from the University of Montevallo. Mrs. Raney earned her National Board Certification in 2005. She regularly conducts honor bands throughout the southeast. She was the ABA District 1 Chairman. She holds memberships in NAfME, AMEA, NBA, ASBDA, Phi Kappa Phi, Kappa Mu Epsilon, Tau Beta Sigma, and Phi Beta Mu.

Dr. Myra Rhoden is the founder of the Athena Music and Leadership Camp (athenacamp.com), an all-girls music program created to promote musical excellence while emphasizing leadership skills. She also served as the Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Chairperson at Fayette County High School (GA). Rhoden frequently serves as a guest conductor for state, regional, and university honor bands and is honored to have presented sessions at The Midwest Clinic, various national, state and regional conferences, and for school systems and professional development clinics throughout the United States and Canada. A native of Tuskegee, Alabama, Dr. Rhoden was named the NAfME 2018 National Band Director of the Year, has been awarded the Outstanding Service to Music Award from Tau Beta Sigma, the Golden Rose Award from Women Band Directors International, multiple Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association, and has been named STAR Teacher and Teacher of the Year. She had the distinct pleasure of being a guest conductor for the United States Air Force Band and the United States Army Field Band of Washington, D. C. and the Tara Winds of Atlanta, Georgia. She is honored to be a member of the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, serves as a Conn Selmer Educational Clinician and was elected to the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 2023. She holds degrees from the University of Alabama and the University of Southern Mississippi and resides in Fayetteville, Georgia with her husband, Errol Jr. Their son, Errol III, is a freelance musician based in Los Angeles.

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Dr. Michael Roy has been teaching secondary music since 2010. He is currently serving as Associate Director of Bands, Trombone Choir Director and Director of Guitar Studies at Foley High School in Foley, AL. Dr. Roy holds degrees from Louisiana State University (Bachelor of Music Education), Southwest Baptist University (Master of Education Administration), University of the Cumberlands (Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership), and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, also from University of the Cumberlands. Dr. Roy has been involved with Drum Corps International for over a decade as both a performer and educator. He performed with the DCI Division 2 World Finalist Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005. He was also a performer with the 2006 and 2008 DCI Division 1 World Champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He formally served on brass staff with the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from 2018-2023. Michael is an avid marching instructor and drill writer having worked field and indoor shows for schools in Louisiana, Missouri, and Alabama. Dr. Roy is a member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), and was a founding member of the Alabama Music Industry Educators Association (AMIEA). Dr. Roy served on the 2023 Arts/AV CTE Course of Study Revision Team and is currently serving on the Alabama State Fine Arts Standards revision team.

Sara Schiller has taught Kindergarten, First, and Second grade Music for the past seven years. She received her master’s and specialist degrees from Auburn University, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate in Music Education. Sara and her husband Chris teach music in Auburn, where they live with their three children.

Dr. Brandon Slocumb is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Music at Huntingdon College where he was awarded the Dr. and Mrs. John N. Todd III Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2023. His primary teaching responsibilities include Low Brass, Music History and Instrumental Music Education courses. Dr. Slocumb also serves as the Director of Music at Eastwood Presbyterian Church where he directs the choir and supervises instrumental music. His previous experience includes teaching at LaGrange College, Birmingham-Southern College, Alabama A & M University, and Samford University. From 2009-18 he operated a large low brass studio in the Birmingham area while working as a freelance trombonist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Samford University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in trombone from the University of North Texas and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Morgan Soja is the Director of Music Education at Samford University. She earned her PhD and MM in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her BM in Music Education from Bowling Green State University. She has certificates in Kodaly levels I and II, Orff Level I, II, III, and masterclass, GIML Introductions to MLT and Elementary General Music coursework, and Modern Band 101 and 102. She has also completed Orton-Gillingham literacy training. Soja is an active participant in the Association of Popular Music Education. She has presented frequently at state and national NAfME conferences, and internationally at APME conferences .

Dr. Henry Terry teaches music in the Montgomery, Alabama Public School District, where he has been employed for 34 years as director of choirs at George Washington Carver High School. Dr. Terry graduated from Alabama State University, where he earned the BA and MME degrees. He completed an Ed.S. degree in leadership at Auburn University Montgomery. He earned the Ed.S. in Choral Music Education and the Ph.D. in Choral Music Education in 2022 from Auburn University, Auburn, AL. Dr. Terry’s research interest includes using Diverse music with Negro Spirituals Performance Practices to Bridge Culture Diversity Gaps in Eurocentric Music Education.

Leigh Thomas received an undergraduate degree (2010) and a graduate degree (2012) from the University of Alabama, where she was drum major, a wind ensemble percussionist, and a graduate teaching assistant. Ms. Thomas served as assistant director of bands at Bob Jones High School from 2012-15 and Director of Bands beginning fall 2015. In her time there, Bob Jones has performed at AMEA three times (Wind Ensemble 2017 & 2022; Percussion Ensemble 2019). Ms. Thomas is a two-time presenter at AMEA. She performs with the Alabama Winds and has performed at AMEA twice (2015 & 2019), the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic (2017), and the Western International Band Clinic (2021).

AMEA 2025 Clinicians

Becky Warren served 40 years as a Band Director. She is the NDMEA Distinguished Service Award recipient and Founder of Warren Music Consulting. In Alabama, Mrs. Warren was active as ABA Chairman for Districts 2 and 3, President-elect of the ABA, and President of AMEA. She served on the Board of NDMEA. She is a member of NAfME, NBA, NDMEA, MEA, and Phi Beta Mu. Becky has served as a clinician, adjudicator, professional development speaker, and guest conductor in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, and the International Music Camp. Three of her clinics and numerous Chat Rooms have been presented at the Midwest. She has also been published in The Instrumentalist Magazine.

Justin White is Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama and was a Master’s Conducting Associate at the University of North Texas, where he earned a M.M. in Wind Conducting with a related field in Music Education in 2014. While at UNT, he was a conducting student of Nicholas Enrico Williams, Dennis Fisher and Eugene Migliaro Corporon. In 2020, Mr. White was selected winner in The American Prize conducting competition for winds and outstanding young band director by the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.

Joshua Wine is currently the Director of Bands and Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Auburn Junior High School, where he conducts and oversees three concert bands, percussion methods class, jazz band, musicology club, teaches music appreciation, and assists with the Auburn High School Marching Band. Mr. Wine also serves as conductor of the all-adult East Alabama Community Band. Ensembles under Mr. Wine’s direction have performed as featured ensembles at the AMEA Conference, CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference and the Music for All Southeastern Concert Band Festival. Mr. Wine lives in Auburn with his wife Haley and four children.

Dr. Anne C. Witt recently retired from the University of Alabama, after a 53-year career of teaching music. She taught strings/orchestra in middle and high school in Austin, TX, before beginning her university career at the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Alabama. She has also taught private cello and piano lessons, and classes for retired adults. Her greatest joy comes from seeing her students succeed. Her degrees were earned at the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of A Rhythm a Week, a supplementary method for band and strings classes. After returning to her hometown in 2003, Dr. Witt organized a community initiative to fund the start-up of a strings program for the Tuscaloosa City Schools, called Strings in Schools. After 18 years, over 2500 students have participated, and several alumni have become music teachers. There are five full-time teachers in all middle and high schools, and the program has served as an inspiration for other school districts. She also began the Adult Strings program, the Adult String Weekend and Cellobration Day at UA. Dr. Witt has served as President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, National President of ASTA and state of Alabama ASTA President. She continues to be active in these associations, the All State Orchestra Festival and as a guest conductor. She is a frequent presenter at AMEA, focusing on practical topics in the “use it on Monday” category. She continues teaching young musicians as an active volunteer in the public schools.

Dr. Damion Womack, a GRAMMY nominated Music Educator has dedicated over twenty years serving as an inspirational and motivational conductor, educator, and administrator, at the elementary, middle, high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Dr. Womack has served as Director of Choral Activities at Mississippi College and Chair of Fine Arts and Director of Choral Activities at Huntingdon College. Currently, Dr. Womack has been reappointed as Director of Arts at The Montgomery Academy where he previously received the McLemore Award for Excellence in Teaching. Choral ensembles under the direction of Dr. Womack have performed by juried invitation for regional and national conventions of The American Choral Directors Association and The National Association for Music Education. Dr. Womack is in demand as a guest conductor and clinician. He has presented workshops and lectures for ACDA and NAfME conventions. His research topics include choral tone, unified and expressive singing, and word stress. Dr. Womack has conducted choral festivals for ACDA and MEA organizations across the United States. Dr. Womack currently serves as President- Elect Designate for ACDA Southern Region and ACDA National Youth Choirs Coordinator. In addition he has served on numerous planning committees for ACDA Southern Region Conferences. Dr. Womack holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC and holds Music Education degrees from Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University.

Dr. Hui-Ting Yang is Professor of Piano at Troy University John M. Long School of Music, where she serves as the Director of the School of Music as well as the Coordinator of Applied Studies. As an active performer and educator, she has performed, lectured, and conducted master classes throughout the Czech Republic, Korea, China, Taiwan and the United States. She has also performed at numerous festivals including the highly acclaimed Cesky Krumlov International Music Festival, “The Days of Contemporary Music” festival in Prague, and the Parma New Music Festival. Her recordings are available through Kum Seoung Records, Parma, Arco Diva, and Neos. In Spring 2022, she was selected as a Troy University Chancellor’s Fellow and has been an advocate of the faculty/staff training and readiness in student mental health crisis since then. Dr. Yang is a Steinway Artist and an inductee of the 2023 Steinway and Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.

AMEA Membership Honor Roll

The Alabama Music Educators Association is proud to recognize those AMEA members having 25 or more years of continuous membership in NAfME. This year, each person attaining 25 years and those reaching increments of five years beyond that will be honored. The following music educators will be honored during the Friday evening General Session.

Glenn Spiller - 60 years

Anne Witt - 60 years

James Knight - 55 years

Wanda Thompson - 55 years

Allen Gillespie - 50 years

William Brindza - 45 years

Carl Kauffman - 45 years

Alvin McKinney - 45 years

Michael Stough - 45 years

David Brewer - 40 years

Thomas Holland - 40 years

Deborah Petipas - 40 years

Pam Smith - 40 years

Randell Wallace - 40 years

David Bearden - 35 years

Linda Byrd - 35 years

John Cooper - 35 years

David Curren - 35 years

John Foster - 35 years

Mark Foster - 35 years

Thomas Francis - 35 years

Joseph Harbison - 35 years

Martha Harris - 35 years

Detrick Hodges - 35 years

Clarence Janes - 35 years

Rusty Logan - 35 years

Jane Powell - 35 years

Regina Raney - 35 years

Leslie Welker - 35 years

Carl Hancock - 30 years

Curtis Hollinger - 30 years

Melissa Lindley - 30 years

Damon McAllister - 30 years

Clayton Sloan - 30 years

Nancy Barry - 25 years

Kristi Bowers - 25 years

Jeff Calvert - 25 years

Stephanie Ezell - 25 years

Barbara Odom Distinguished Service Award

2019 Dr. Carl B. Hancock, The University of Alabama

2015 Garry Taylor, AMEA Executive Director

2012 Joe Hull , Tuscaloosa Music Shop

2011 Gene Gooch, ABA Executive Director

2010 Tony Pike, Davidson High School

2008 Rhonda Tucker, Shades Cahaba Elementary School

AMEA Outstanding Administrators

2025 Christy Mims, Principal, Jemison Middle School

2024 Dr. Brad Hunter, Lee County Schools

2023 Dr. Laura Tate, Edgewood Elementary School

2022 Dr. Chad Holden, Muscle Shoals City Schools

2021 Dr. Dee Dee Jones, Hartselle City Schools

2019 Dr. Deidra Robinson, Albertville High School

2018 Dr. L. Wayne Vickers, Alabaster City Schools

2017 Dr. Mark Richardson, Vestavia Hills Elem. East

2015 Dianne Johnson, Jefferson County Schools

2014 Dr. Bill Cleveland, Homewood City Schools

2013 Reba Caldwell,Tuscaloosa County High School

2013 Dr. Vic Wilson, Mountain Brook High School

2012 Jim Jeffers, Tallassee City Schools

2011 Rita Thomas, Hillcrest High School

2010 Michael Reed, Hartselle City Schools

2008 Dr. Phillip Hammonds, Jefferson County Schools

Michael Gagliardo - 25 years

Denise Gainey - 25 years

Robert Glasscock - 25 years

Gregory Gumina - 25 years

Stacy Harris - 25 years

Heather Holmes - 25 years

Daniel Hornstein - 25 years

Darryl Ingram - 25 years

Jennifer Janzen - 25 years

Chris King - 25 years

Alice LaGrone - 25 years

Marc McLendon - 25 years

Brian Neugent - 25 years

Kenneth Ozzello - 25 years

Keith Pritchard - 25 years

Deborah Seay - 25 years

Jonathan Snodgrass - 25 years

Robert Stegall - 25 years

Jason Winningham - 25 years

2007 Steve McLendon, AMEA President

2006 Darry Pilkington, Hoover High School

2005 Dr. John M. Long, Troy University

2004 Lacey Powell, AMEA President & Executive Director

2003 Greta Champlin, Huntsville City Schools

2007 Jane Baker, Principal, Shades Valley High School

2005 Ray Winegar, Opelika City Schools

2004 David Miles, Pizitz Middle School

2003 Earl Franks, Luverne High School

2002 Geoffrey Spann, Troy Elementary School

1999 Dr. Mary Ann Culotta, Jefferson County Schools

1998 David Earl Carter, Enterprise High School

1997 Lewis Copeland, Davidson High School

1995 James Lambert, Monroeville Jr. High

1992 Michael Gross, Vestavia Hills High School

1989 Terry Wilkerson, Monroeville Jr. High

1988 Kenneth Abbott, Hewitt-Trussville High School

1987 Robert Chapman,Simmons Middle School

1985 R. A. Ginn, Pinson Elementary School

1983 John Allen Pickard, Selma City Schools

John Baker, Class of 2025

Carl Hancock, Class of 2025

Diane Orlofsky, Class of 2024

Garry Taylor, Class of 2023

Clifford “Ski” Winter, Class of 2022

Ken Berg, Class of 2021

Yale Ellis, Class of 2021

Ken Williams, Class of 2021

Jerry Bobo - Class of 2020

Harry McAfee - Class of 2020

Sharon McCann August, Class of 2019

Theresa McKibben - Class of 2016

Vicki Portis - Class of 2016

John Bradley - Class of 2015

Bill Brunner - Class of 2015

Jim Duren - Class of 2015

Curtis Hollinger - Class of 2013

Billy R. (Rip) Reagan - Class of 2012

Joseph C. Riemer, Jr. - Class of 2010

Roland Lister - Class of 2009

Pat Morrow - Class of 2009

David Walters - Class of 2009

Gerald Welker - Class of 2009

Gene Black, Inaugural Class of 2008

Carleton Butler, Inaugural Class of 2008

Ed Cleino, Inaugural Class of 2008

William Dawson, Inaugural Class of 2008

William Denison, Inaugural Class of 2008

Gene Gooch, Inaugural Class of 2008

Wilbur Hinton, Inaugural Class of 2008

Dianne Johnson, Inaugural Class of 2008

John M. Long, Inaugural Class of 2008

Floyd McClure, Inaugural Class of 2008

Frances Moss, Inaugural Class of 2008

Eleanor Nation, Inaugural Class of 2008

Lacey Powell, Inaugural Class of 2008

James Simpson, Inaugural Class of 2008

Thomas Smith, Inaugural Class of 2008

Hugh Thomas, Inaugural Class of 2008

Orland Thomas, Inaugural Class of 2008

Johnnie Vinson, Inaugural Class of 2008

Lacey

National Board Certified Teachers in Music

Certified in 2024

Hannah Bradford, Muscle Shoals City Schools

Tadarius Dukes, Clarke County Schools

Kelly Howard, Homewood City Schools

Teresa Rhyne, Auburn City Schools

Certified in 2023

Patrick Dailey, Arab City Schools

Susan Henderson, Mobile County Schools

Nicole Kmoch, Decatur City Schools

James Rogers, Mountain Brook Schools

Complete List:

Music/Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood

David Allinder, Jefferson Co School District

Darwin Anderson, Madison City Schools

Marsha Asquith, Madison County Schools

Kimberly Bain, Vestavia Hills City Sch District

Timothy Beattie, Mobile Public Schools

Kristi Bowers, Huntsville City School District

Hannah Bradford, Muscle Shoals City Schools

Dakota Bromley, Chilton County School District

Jonathan Cagle, Jefferson Co School District

Jeff Calvert, Jefferson Co School District

John Cooper, Decatur City School District

Patrick Dailey, Arab City Schools

Laura Doss, Birmingham, Alabama

Donald Dowdy, Madison Co School District

TaDarius Dukes, Clarke County Schools

Gary Foster, Mountain Brook City Sch District

Traci Fuller, Montgomery Co School District

Gregory Gumina, Jefferson Co School District

Erica Hand, Athens City Schools

Nathaniel Haskew, Albertville City Schools

Susan Henderson, Mobile, Alabama

Joel Henson, Jefferson Co School District

Margaret Heron, Jefferson Co School District

Kirstan Hill, Jefferson County School District

Sandra Hill, Jefferson Co School District

Daniel Hornstein, Huntsville City School District

Edward Horton, Vestavia Hills City Schools

Mary Hovik, Madison County Schools

John Kincaid, Hoover City School District

Crystal King, Selma City Schools

Nicole Kmoch, Decatur City Schools

Matthew Martindale, Shelby County Schools

Lee Mason, Birmingham City School District

Brian Neugent, Hoover City School District

Regina Raney, Decatur City School District

James Rogers, Mountain Brook City Schools

James Schaeffer, Hoover City School District

Jed Smart, Tuscaloosa County School District

Elizabeth Stephenson, Huntsville City Schools

Kimberly Strickland, Birmingham, Alabama

Jamie Thomas, Piedmont City School District

Renee Thomas, Baldwin Co School District

Adam Truesdale, Leeds City School District

John Vernon, Huntsville City School District

Christopher Walker, Jefferson Co Schools

Jennifer Walsh, Jefferson Co School District

Megan Wicks, Vestavia Hills City Sch District

Hilen Wilson, Tuscaloosa City Schools

Music/Early and Middle Childhood

Heather Atkins, Shelby County Schools

Sharon August, Vestavia Hills City Sch District

Deanna Bell, Jefferson Co School District

Donna Blethen, Birmingham City School District

Laura Butler, Mountain Brook City Sch District

Emily Cagle, Jefferson Co School District

Brian Cocke, Trussville City Sch District

John Cook, Trussville City Sch District

Veronica Crawford, Tuscaloosa City Schools

Carrie Cruz, Jefferson Co School District

Beth Davis, Decatur City School District

Katherine Donaldson, Vestavia Hills Schools

Brooke Dunham, Shelby Co School District

William Goff, Jefferson Co School District

Carlee Green, Hoover City School District

Karla Hodges, Tuscaloosa City School District

Heather Holmes, Shelby County Schools

Kelly Howard, Homewood City Schools

Leslie Jones, Jefferson Co School District

Courtney Keenum, Colbert County Schools

Kristy Lott, Jefferson County School District

Alicia Luttrell, Mobile County Schools

Erica Lutz, Montgomery Public Schools

Erin Lyon, Leeds City Schools

Melissa McIntyre, Vestavia Hills City Schools

Theresa McKibben, Homewood City Schools

Alicia Moreno Mulloy, Huntsville City Schools

Clarence Myrick, Jefferson Co Schools

Janet Nelson, Mountain Brook City Sch District

Vicki Lynn Portis, Hoover City School District

Melinda Pruitt, Birmingham City School District

Lesley Rogers, Trussville City Schools

Teresa Rhyne, Auburn City Schools

Leah Seng, Vestavia City Schools

Jeanette Shorey, Shelby Co School District

Joy Smith, Birmingham City School District

Marcia Staples, Huntsville City Schools

Tiffani Stricklin, Jefferson Co School District

Jennifer Thompson, Jefferson County Schools

Rhonda Tucker, Homewood City Schools

Phil Wilson, Auburn City School District

Amy Womack, Mountain Brook City Schools

Walter Wren, Leeds City School District

Alabama State University Department of Music

ASU is a 4-year, Public HBCU located in Montgomery Alabama. As an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, the Department of Music at ASU offers the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, the Bachelor of Music Education degree (instrumental and vocal tracks), and the M.Ed in Music Education degree (Alt-A Certification available). Ranking in the top 5% of all HBCUs, nationwide, in number of music graduates being produced every year, the Department of Music at ASU offers conservatory-style training, along with an emphasis on the study of African-American culture, history, and music. The Department is made up of 14 full-time faculty and 10 part-time faculty offering applied study in the areas of woodwinds, brass, percussion, piano, voice, and composition, and offers performance opportunities for majors and non-majors in Band, Choir, Jazz, Gospel, Opera, Orchestra, and Chamber ensembles. Booth 2

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra has entertained and enriched audiences for almost 100 years, playing a variety of classical and popular music and hosting performances by some of the finest guest artists in the world. The 53 talented musicians of the ASO bring to life some of the world’s most treasured musical masterpieces and introduce listeners to exciting new works and composers, performing 100 concerts annually. Booth 48

American Band College / WIBC, Inc.

WIBC is the Western International Band Clinic, a convention for directors and students. Started in 1979, WIBC features four 150-member high school honor bands under 6 world-renowned guest conductors and a soloist. Held in Seattle, Washington each November. Booth 11

American Travel Consulting, LLC

Specializing in student group travel, American Travel Consulting can customize the perfect trip for your group! With decades of experience in student group travel, we look forward to working with you to plan your next band, choir, orchestra, or school group trip! Booth 55 & 56

Andy’s Music

Family Owned & Operated since 1977, Band & Orchestra | Sales & Service, School Tailored Student Rentals, Comprehensive Hands-On Recruiting Program. Booth 8 & 9

Argonne Tours

Argonne Tours is a full-service travel company specializing in group tours. With over 30 years of travel industry and performing arts experience, our goal is to customize a memorable and hassle-free trip for the director, staff, chaperones, and students. Let us give you a quote! Booth 38

Art’s Music Shop, Inc

Serving the musical needs of the southeast since 1905; convention exhibit features an extensive array of educational and instrumental music for today’s school bands: concert band, solos and ensembles, jazz ensembles, resource materials, and much more. In addition, two EXCLUSIVE booths will contain music and materials for general/elementary music. Booth A, 3, 4

Auburn University Department of Music

The Auburn University Department of Music dedicates itself to providing a globally recognized, innovative education in all aspects of traditional & contemporary music in a nurturing and inclusive environment reflecting our liberal arts tradition. We are committed to state of the art facilities for future generations that contribute to, value, appreciate, and advocate for the musical arts through performance, research, service, and outreach. Booth 53

AWB Apparel

T shirts and apparel needs. Booth 15 & 16

Belhaven University Music

Belhaven University prepares students academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas.

Belhaven University affirms the Lordship of Christ over all aspects of life, acknowledges the Bible as the foundational authority for the development of a personal worldview, and recognizes each individual’s career as a calling from God. Each academic department is committed to high academic goals for its students and clarifies the implications of biblical truth for its discipline. Belhaven upholds these commitments in offering undergraduate and graduate programs, by conventional or technological delivery modes, and in local, national, and international venues. The University requires a liberal arts foundation in each undergraduate degree program, in order to best prepare students to contribute to a diverse, complex and fast-changing world. By developing servant leaders who value integrity, compassion, and justice in all aspects of their lives, the University prepares people to serve, not to be served. Booth 21

Best in Class Tours

Group travel. Booth 1

Custom Fundraising Solutions

Mattress and Sock Fundraisers. Booth 5

DeMoulin Brothers & Company

DeMoulin is the oldest and largest manufacturer of music performance group apparel in the world. We manufacture an endless range of uniforms for Marching Bands, Concert Bands, Color Guard, Choir and many other music related performance groups. The products offered include: custom and in-stock marching band uniforms, formal wear for men and women, guard uniforms and the largest selection of accessory products found anywhere. By combining our experience and craftsmanship in garment manufacturing with the most current design elements and quality standards, DeMoulin Bros. and Co. continues to lead the industry in all fields. Booth 50 & 59

Faulkner University

Faulkner University is located in the state capital of Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1942, the University provides instruction for over 60 major degree fields in a Christian environment. We offer scholarships beginning at $16,000 for participation in band or choir at Faulkner -- over 70% off tuition. The Department of Music, led by Dr. Art Williams, includes the University Chorus, Marching Eagles, Faulkner Singers, Swingin’ Eagles Jazz Ensemble, and Concert Band as well as class and private instruction in piano, voice, and instrument. Faulkner also offers classes in music theory, music history, sight singing and ear training, and both vocal and instrumental pedagogy for music education majors and minors. For more information, contact Michael Bird at mbird@faulkner.edu or call (334) 386-7496. Booth 51

First Class Charter LLC

Charter bus company providing transportation locally & nationwide. Booth 65

Fred J. Miller, Inc.

Fred J Miller is the leader in innovation, quality, creativity and service! A family oriented uniform company, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail, integrity and always putting the client FIRST! We specialize in creating the perfect uniform and pageantry products for high schools, colleges and universities and drum corps. The Cesario Collection Uniform Performance Wear, manufactured by FJM, Inc., provides the highest level of well-crafted, athletically styled and constructed garments for today’s student musicians. Years of research, development, and field trials have produced a new concept in uniforms, forged from entirely new patterns and construction. Setting new standards in meeting the demands of modern band speed, movement, choreography and flexibility, FJM, Inc. has placed significant emphasis upon long-term value. These fully washable, contemporary uniforms feature extended durability for longevity, easy and environmentally responsible care, simplified alterations, and industry-leading styles and custom designs. FJM has developed the hottest thing going in the uniform industry today. Digital print! Now the imagination of FJM designer Michael Cesario is no longer limited by the constraints of old-fashioned construction allowances. FJM has perfected the art of digital print for band uniforms, investing the time, effort and resources in product development to bring you the most visually stunning uniforms available today. Booth 30

Fruhauf Uniforms / Marchmaster

Marchmaster is the premier leader in supplying footwear, guard equipment, custom designed uniforms & outfits, head gear, concert performance wear, podiums, field equipment, banners, electronics and other accessories for bands, orchestras, choral groups, and performing ensembles. Booth E

Since 1910, Fruhauf Uniforms has manufactured the highest-quality music education apparel. Five generations later we are better than ever, and continue to use the highest quality of materials and workmanship. Booth E

Fun Spot America Theme Parks

Fun Spot America debuted on December 24, 1997, as a small five-acre park with go-karts, rides and an arcade. Twenty-five years later, Fun Spot America Theme Parks now feature more than 100 acres of family fun across three diverse and unique locations. The flagship Orlando location includes the city’s first wooden roller coaster in its 31-ride collection. With 29 rides, the Kissimmee Park boasts the world’s tallest SkyCoaster and Mine Blower, Florida’s only inverted wooden roller coaster. Located just south of the city, the Atlanta location added ArieForce One, the company’s fastest roller coaster in March 2023 to its ride collection which includes the four-story Sampson go-kart track and the new Screamin’ Eagles attraction. Booth 28

Gadsden Music Company Inc.

Music Retailer. Booth D

GIA Publications, Inc

GIA Publications and divisions Walton, and Meredith Music publish high-quality music education resources (preschool through college and beyond) to enrich lives, bring joy to students and inspire teachers to delve deeper into what it means to be musical. Publisher of Music Education Books, Curriculums, Recordings and Resources. www.giamusic.com. Booth 22, 23, 24

Group Travel Network, Inc.

Certified Student Tour Operator and AMEA Preferred Travel Planner, with 20+ years of continuous experience serving the student performance travel market. GTN specializes in performance group travel to destinations such as Orlando, Hawaii, San Antonio, Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Europe and more. One Call - One Source! We do it ALL....so YOU don’t have to! Booth C

Guardian Travel Group

Guardian is a tour operator and fundraising company that provides incredible service to music educators. Booth 25, 26

Hawai’i State Tours

Custom Group Travel to Hawai’i and Beyond. Booth 46, 47

Huntingdon College Department of Music

At Huntingdon College we work tirelessly to give students the opportunities and individual attention needed for success in many fields of music, particularly Music Education. We offer Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Music Education K-12 (Choral and Instrumental). Huntingdon offers many ensemble opportunities to both music and non-music majors including Marching Band, Concert Band, Concert Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and various Chamber Ensembles. For more information on our program please contact Dr. Brandon Slocumb, Program Coordinator of Fine Arts. Dr. Brandon Slocumb, Coordinator of Music and Music Education: bslocumb@ hawks.huntingdon.edu; Mr. Anthony Vittore, Director of Bands: avittore@hawks.huntingdon.edu; Dr. Kacey Kennedy, Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of Choral Activities: kkennedy@hawks.huntingdon.edu. Booth 27

J.W. Pepper

Founded in 1876, J.W. Pepper is the largest sheet music retailer in the world, delivering unparalleled customer service to musicians through its distribution centers and website, jwpepper.com. Pepper offers sheet music useful to directors and performers alike, as well as music equipment, accessories, and technology solutions to support music programs. Booth 54

Jacksonville State University, David L. Walters Dept. of Music

The David L. Walters Department of Music has more than 250 undergraduate and graduate music majors. Led by 37 faculty members who are world-class teachers, scholars, conductors, composers, and performers, the music department offers its majors many opportunities to develop their musical skills, knowledge, and dispositions to become professional educators and musicians. Key courses for all majors and minors are applied lessons, conducting, music history, music theory, music technology, music industry, and music ensembles, such as the internationally known Marching Southerners. Booth 68

Jupiter/Mapex/Majestic-KHS America

Serving the musical community with world class instruments that provide a lifetime of musical inspiration. Booth 43

Kaleidoscope Adventures, Inc

Kaleidoscope Adventures is a full-service student trip planner with more than 30+ years of inspiring student travel and a former educator as CEO. We specialize in surprisingly unique educational, performance, sports, senior class trip, festival and cruise travel to more than 40+ student friendly destinations. We make student safety a priority with a clearly communicated safety plan and trusted partners. According to the Student & Youth Travel Association independent study 74% of teachers believe travel has a very positive impact on students personal development. As a student trip planner you can count on the KA professionals to collaborate with you to organize the perfect education or performance tour. Explore the roots of our democracy in Philadelphia or the battlefield of the civil rights movement in Birmingham. Marvel at the architecture of the Chicago skyline or the mysteries of space at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Share the holiday spirit as you perform in the Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World or stage an unforgettable show at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. Booth 64

Mississippi State University Department of Music

Mississippi State University is a comprehensive land grant institution ranked by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Very-High Research Activity University and is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Department of Music is a part of the College of Education and is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The department is proud of a new $21 million state-of-the-art, 37,000-square-foot music facility that complements the Sills Band Hall. This complex includes classrooms, a choral rehearsal hall, faculty offices, sound-proof practice rooms, a recording studio, a recital hall, a student lounge, and an administrative suite. The Department offers the BME in Music Education, the BM in Performance, the BA in Music, and the MME in Music Education. Booth 52

Music & Arts

Music & Arts supports music education as a trusted resource for band and orchestra instruments, accessories, print music, instrument repairs, individual and group lessons, and instrument rentals. The company provides ready-to-go educator solutions, quality and immediately available instruments, convenient rental options, and value-added resources to help build your music programs. Contact your Music & Arts Educational Representative or email Schools@MusicArts.com for support today. Booth 10, 19

Music Filing Solutions

Space Saving Sheet Music Filing System. Booth 29

Music for All, Inc.

Music for All’s mission is to create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through music. We believe that music and arts education is a core to students’ education and must be available to all students. Music for All is an advocate for music and arts education. Our educational programs support the efforts of instrumental music teachers on the high school and middle school levels, as well as provide positively life-changing experiences for students. Booth 35

Musical Horizons International LLC

We specialize in music group travel worldwide. Booth 31

OrlandoFest

OrlandoFest is firmly committed to providing quality music festivals for elementary, middle school, junior high school, and senior high school student musicians and generating positive educational growth through performance. Booth 42

Performance Carts

Performance Carts manufactures high-quality carts for marching bands and other musical groups that need to move equipment safely and efficiently. Our carts are all fabricated from 16-gauge, powder coated steel to ensure that our carts are serviceable for year. Booth 66, 67

QuaverEd

QuaverMusic is a full digital PreK-8 General Music Curriculum. It’s easy to learn, ready to use, and seriously fun! Packed with engaging content, QuaverMusic meets NCAAS and State music standards and brings music education to life. Booth 18

Redemption Marketing Service Booth 39

Signature Elite Tours, Inc.

Signature Elite Tours is a full-service student tour operator. We specialize in customized trips for a wide variety of groups, recognizing that bands, choirs and orchestras are different and unique in their needs. With online registration and payments, exceptional customer service and a veteran team, planning your performance trip will be easy. At Signature Elite Tours, getting your students the best experience at the best price is our signature. We’ll make sure your group has an Elite travel experience! Booth 12

Simply Sheets Fundraising

Located in Mobile, Alabama, Simply Sheets is the ONLY bed sheet and bath towel fundraising company. Simply Sheets also offers Satin Pillow Cases and Cooling Pillows. We offer both TRADITIONAL and ONLINE programs. Our programs offer your organization NO upfront costs, NO contracts, NO minimums and a 40% Profit! Give your supporters products they will enjoy for years to come. Booth 45

SouthCoast Music & Design

SouthCoast Music & Design is a marching-focused firm with a simple goal: to consolidate the non-teaching responsibilities placed on the modern band director. Numerous streams of communication become one through our ability to complete conceptual design, musical arrangements, visual design and sound effects as well as fully bring your show to life through the design and manufacturing of props, uniforms, flags, floor tarps and vinyls. Founded in 2018, SouthCoast has become one of the fastest growing design companies in the southeast and has serviced over 100 schools across 10 states in six short years. Booth 60 & 61

Southeastern Performance Apparel

Quality manufacturer and provider of Uniforms for Choral & Instrumental groups of all sizes We provide Dress, Tuxedos, Show Choir, Band and accessories. Celebrating over 40 years in the performance wear industry. Booth 44

Southern Performances Inc.

Southern Performances was founded on the idea of offering an all-around company to help your band or choir have its best performance. Our staff brings to the table an impressive background in music education because the majority of our staff are current or retired music educators themselves. They have an intimate understand of everything your program needs and how to best meet those needs while being

creative and budget-friendly. We pride ourselves on pairing the best possible customer service in the business with the highest quality vendors we can find to ensure a great one-stop shopping experience for our music educator friends. If you need it for your band program, Southern Performances can probably provide it for you!!! Booth B

Stanbury Uniforms, LLC

Leading provider of quality, custom uniforms for marching band, drum corps, color guard, indoor and other performance groups - since 1917. Booth 6, 7

Super Holiday Tours

From our humble beginnings in 1975, Super Holiday Tours has grown to become one of the most successful and recognizable Student Group Travel Organizations in the United States! At Super Holiday Tours, we make all school trips easy and memorable by handling every aspect of your travel arrangements, and experiences. Whether it be a marching band looking to dominate the next showcase or competition, a class trip in search of discovery, or a high school senior class looking to go out with a bang, Super Holiday Tours can take your student group on an unforgettable adventure with practiced ease. Super Holiday Tours is deeply rooted in values and practices that prioritize student safety. Ultimately, we aim to educate, exhilarate and inspire, knowing no destination is too far, and every experience is exceptional. Your next great adventure is waiting-let’s go! Booth 17

The University of Alabama

The University of Alabama School of Music boasts an extensive and comprehensive educational experience. Over 44 full-time faculty members instruct and mentor more than 400 majors at both undergraduate and graduate levels, encompassing every major discipline in the field of music. The School of Music occupies the splendid Frank Moody Music Building. Since its opening in 1987, the Moody Music Building has become one of our university’s most important cultural facilities. Our School of Music is more than a collection of curricula and facilities; it is a community with a unique culture that has evolved over the past century. Booth 40, 41, 49

The University of Alabama in Huntsville Department of Music

UAH Department of Music prepares musicians as performers, educators, church musicians, and music industry professionals. We enable all students, regardless of major, to pursue the art and beauty of music while honing the interpersonal and communication skills vital to every career. UAH was 1 of 10 institutions named by the Yamaha Corporation of America as an Institution of Excellence in its inaugural year of the honor program. Noted for quality instruction by nationally and internationally renowned faculty and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the UAH Department of Music offers eight degree emphases, performance ensembles, advanced technological opportunities, and world-class concerts. Booth 20

TROY University John M. Long School of Music

The John M. Long School of Music invites alumni, friends, and guests to visit our booth and explore the music opportunities available at Troy University. The John M. Long School of Music is a vital part of a dynamic, global university. The School of Music has more than 250 undergraduate and graduate music majors and undergraduate music minors and more than 30 faculty members who are worldclass teachers, scholars, conductors, composers, and performers. The School of Music provides opportunities for all university students to develop the musical skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to become artistic performers and/or intelligent consumers of music. Music majors are provided with “real-world” educational experiences designed to prepare them for viable careers in music. Graduate Assistantships are available working with university bands, university choirs, music education, and music industry. The School of Music has a rich performance tradition. More that 15% of the TROY campus is involved in music study. A comprehensive choral, instrumental, traditional, and popular music ensemble program provides more than 200 public performances each year to an audience of more than 250,000 people. Troy University is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and is an All-Steinway School. Booth 34

U.S. Army Bands

United States Army Bands Recruiting - Serving the Nation through Music. Even before the U.S. Army was created in 1775, musicians were an integral part of the military. From the signal corps drummers in the Revolutionary War, to the full jazz bands of WWII, music has been a critical part of the Army’s success. Whether it’s a ceremonial performance or a concert to boost the morale of Soldiers, U.S. Army Bands members have the opportunity to serve their country while making music. If you’re already studying music in school or are a working musician, U.S. Army Bands offer great opportunities for your musical career. It’s a gig that gives you the time to concentrate on music while earning a steady paycheck. As an Army musician, you’ll be able to hone your musical techniques and abilities in a variety of musical styles. You may even be eligible for an assignment to one of the Army bands playing worldwide for dignitaries, heads of state or even the president of the United States. Auditions for all woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists are now available for anyone aspiring to be a professional musician. We are seeking individuals who are passionate for musical excellence, service to country and a desire to be part of an elite organization. There are a total of 16 active duty U.S. Army Bands across the United States and overseas that will provide the opportunity to perform in ensembles such as ceremonial band, brass band, jazz ensemble, brass/woodwind quintet, rock band, and many more. If you have the dream to travel the world and play music in front of large crowds as well as to constantly enhance your own skills, this is the career for you! Please take time to speak with Sergeant First Class Joseph Grabill, our Southeast United States

Auditions Coordinator, to find out more about the process to join the U.S. Army Bands program. You can contact Sergeant First Class Grabill via email at joseph.c.grabill.mil@army.mil or by phone at (256) 746-6704. You can also visit www.bands.army.mil/careers/audition for more information. Booth 13

University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Music

In a relatively short time, the UAB Department of Music has distinguished itself as one of the finest centers for educating young musicians in the southeast. Faculty and students perform in the acclaimed Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center (with its four performing venues) and around the globe. We recently became the first program in the state of Alabama to be designated an All-Steinway School, making the department one of only 73 schools worldwide so named by piano maker Steinway & Sons. The department is home to numerous worldrenown scholars and performers, with recent appearances by faculty and students in Egypt, Russia, France, England, Scotland, Brazil, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and Mexico, as well as television broadcasts throughout the world. Our graduates have consistently found success in graduate study at some of the nations most prestigious schools, and work in music business and music technology, music education, churches, and as active performers. The department offers a variety of levels of instruction to give you a balanced musical education. Located in Birmingham home to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Opera Birmingham, Alabama Ballet, Chamber Music Society, Birmingham Music Club and a host of other visiting artists UAB is at the very center of the arts, affording our students invaluable exposure to the worlds greatest artists. Booth 32, 33

University of Montevallo

The Department of Music is one of the most highly regarded music programs in the state and region. Continuously accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1931, we have remained a competitive force in Alabama’s collegiate music education. We are proud of the success and the achievement of our students, alumni, and faculty. Booth 14

University of North Alabama Department of Music

The UNA Department of Music offers multiple degrees and private study opportunities for students. Bolstered by superior performance ensembles and outstanding music faculty, the department provides students an outlet to IGNITE their passion for the arts with numerous opportunities to perform and connect with their fellow students and community. The Department of Music remains a consistent resource of excellence for the University of North Alabama, the Shoals Region, and beyond with its competitive scholarships, performance awards, and its status as a leader in the music education field. The University of North Alabama Department of Music is committed to providing diverse educational experiences that focus on academic excellence, professional-caliber creative performances, innovative curricula and pedagogies, community engagement, and recruitment of the highest-quality students regionally, nationally, and internationally. Booth 62, 63

University of South Alabama Department of Music

The Department of Music at the University of South Alabama, through its innovative curriculum and exemplary faculty, offers educational and creative opportunities for musicians and music educators. Propelled by an increasing music student population, a newly created graduate degree program, and a highly active concert series featuring accomplished soloists and diverse ensembles, the department continually embraces new artistic experiences that balance the rich history of music with emerging music of the 21st century. Providing opportunities for lifelong learners within our community, the department is an important asset to the University of South Alabama and a valuable resource for the entire Gulf Coast region. Booth 36, 37

University of West Alabama Bands

The University of West Alabama offers four different instrumental ensembles: marching band, wind ensemble, jazz band, and basketball pep band. All students who participate receive a scholarship. Financial reward amounts are dependent on audition quality and the number of UWA ensembles in which the students participates. There is no cost to participate in any of the groups. Come see why we say, “There’s something about this place.” Booth 57

Warburton Music Products

WORLD CLASS BRASS SINCE 1974, Celebrating 50 years! We manufacture a complete line of mouthpieces for Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo Trumpet, Cornet, French Horn, Trombone, and Tuba - plus our growing line of top quality accessories for both brass and woodwind instruments. The Warburton system flexibility gives you the most efficient mouthpiece components for performing in any playing situation. Warburton also manufactures a professional line of Bb Trumpets, C Trumpets, and Flugelhorns! Booth 58

VISIT THE EXHIBITS!

THURSDAY, 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM

(EXHIBIT HALL RECEPTION 4:30 - 5:30 PM)

FRIDAY, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

BJCC EAST BALLROOM

AMEA Industry/Institutional Membership 2024-2025

AMEA would like to express appreciation to the following partners who have joined AMEA in our efforts to promote music education in Alabama. Please support these industry/institutional members who support you as music educators!

American Travel Consulting

https://www.americantravelconsulting.com

Auburn University Department of Music

132 Goodwin Music Building, Auburn, AL 36849 https://cla.auburn.edu/music/

Arts Music Shop

3030 East Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36116 https://artsmusicshop.com

Gadsden Music Company

607 Broad St., PO Box 132, Gadsden, AL 35901 https://gadsdenmusic.com/

J.W. Pepper of Atlanta

9053 Riverside Parkway, Lithia Springs, GA 30122 https://www.jwpepper.com/

Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center

910 South College Street, Auburn, AL 36849 https://goguecenter.auburn.edu

Marchmaster/Fruhauf

14 Lake Point Drive, Dahlonega, GA 30533 https://marchmaster.com/

Southern Performances

427 Apollo Avenue, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 https://southernperformances.com/

Super Holiday Tours

116 Gatlin Avenue, Orlando, FL 32806 https://superholiday.com/

Panama City Beach Music Festivals

3680 Preserve Blvd., Panama City Beach, FL 32408 https://www.panamacitybeachmusicfestival.com/

The University of Alabama School of Music

810 2nd Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 https://music.ua.edu/

Troy University John M. Long School of Music

112 Long Hall, Troy, AL 36082 https://www.troy.edu

The University of North Alabama

UNA Box 5040, Florence, AL 35632 https://www.una.edu/schoolofthearts

The University of South Alabama Department of Music

5751 USA Drive South, Mobile, AL 36688 https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/music/

Forum 2nd Floor

Forum 3rd Floor