Greetings to Iowa Music Educators,

Iowa’s annual celebration of music education will soon be here. The Iowa Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference, November 19-21, offers a wide variety of sessions, as well as opportunities to interact with leading music educators from around the US and Iowa. The schedule and descriptions of sessions, clinician biographies and a registration form can all be found at iamea.org.  If you need credit, make sure and check out the options available through Heartland AEA and the University of Iowa.

Student performances begin on Thursday with the ICDA OPUS Honor Choirs, and conclude on Saturday night with the All-State Festival Concert, highlighting the best Iowa music education has to offer.  From the Junior High Honors orchestra to the Collegiate Honor band, many levels of students are involved.

By now, you probably know for sure if you will be able to attend the IMEA conference events.  We still need some people to preside at sessions.   It’s simple, all materials you need will be provided, and you can use the activity to help show that you meet the Iowa Teaching Standards through professional involvement.  If you can help preside at an IMEA session, please respond to the e-mail address listed below.  You may request a particular session, and we will honor the first requests received.

Also, we do have a few clinicians who will need rides to and from the Des Moines airport.  If you’d like some individual time to chat with one of them, consider serving as a driver. Mileage will be paid to those who provide transportation for clinicians.

I’m looking forward to seeing all music teachers at the IMEA conference.  As music educators, you do so much for the students of Iowa, and you deserve to be re-energized through this powerful weekend of performances and professional development.  Whether you are a member of ICDA, IBA, ISTA, an Orff  or Kodaly Chapter, IHSMA, or are a collegiate music educator, IMEA welcomes your attendance, and wishes you and your students the best.

Martha Kroese

IMEA President-Elect and Conference Chair

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