2026 MMEA Fall In-Service Conference

There is an unspoken myth that middle school bands have to sound underdeveloped. As well as having quality middle school performing ensembles in minorities' communities tends to be undervalued. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the need for strong musicianship and ensemble training at the middle school level. This presentation will discuss the methods, strategies, philosophy, and pedagogy necessary to develop healthy, high-performing middle school instrumental ensembles. The primary focus is to develop a curriculum using the “Wisconsin CMP Method” (Conceptualize Learning). The initiative of this presentation is to address the importance of strong individual musicianship training, ensemble training, performing ensembles, and music programs in minority communities at the middle school level, and that they are often overlooked and unrepresented. The goal is to debunk the myth that middle school ensembles “must” sound underdeveloped or cannot perform with strong musical fundamentals. Lastly, this presentation will help to edify the developmental pipeline of musicians from communities of color (elementary, middle, high, collegiate, professional, etc.) Throughout this presentation, topics of discussion will be a “nuts and bolts” approach that focuses on developing ensemble sound using musical concepts such as tone quality, intonation, ensemble blend and balance, articulation, and dynamic contrast. The primary vehicle of this method is developing the ensemble through the warm-up process and sequenced topic lessons using a “Private Lesson” format approach. The presentation will also include developing group/individual musicianship and technique building. Middle school-aged students will benefit from this teaching method as they will gain more confidence in themselves as young people and musicians, become more motivated to continue in a performing ensemble, and gain autonomy as musicians to make intelligent musical choices on their own, independent of the conductor, and be more fulfilled making music. In conclusion, this presentation will benefit college professors in the development of future music educators by encouraging them to take a more comprehensive approach to developing middle school ensembles and place a higher value on strong performing middle school ensembles in minority and underrepresented communities, while equipping them with the tools necessary to develop those ensembles and scholars.

Limited resources should not limit achievement. Whether serving in rural communities with limited enrollment and challenging instrumentation or urban programs managing large class sizes and frequent turnover – or anywhere in between, music teachers are tasked with achieving excellence amid various constraints. With experience building and maintaining successful band programs in both rural and urban areas in Texas, Finnels will share high-impact strategies and practical tools that help music programs grow, thrive, and succeed!

Need to challenge your top students? Have a group with unusual/limited instrumentation? Want to help build fundamental skills with struggling students? Want students to have better part independence? The answer to these questions and more is: Chamber music! During this session we will discuss ideas for how to include chamber music in the large ensemble classroom using materials and methods new and old. Resources for finding diverse repertoire and Classroom management strategies for how to accomplish this will also be discussed. Get ready to dust off those Rubank ensemble books and watch your students make music independently!

This session provides practical strategies for beginning band instruction, focusing on building fundamentals, engaging students, and establishing consistency. Directors will explore rehearsal techniques, classroom management, and solutions to common beginner challenges. Attendees will leave with actionable tips, resources, and methods to support long-term success in their music programs. Hal Leonard Essential Elements Interactive will be featured.