A Note from the CMEA Rep

Cisco Marquez Director of Bands, Santa Paula High School CMEA Representative on the CBDA Baord

CALIFORNIA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

After a year of “conducting” virtual bands, becoming experts in learning management systems such as Google Classroom, and keeping up with the latest learning technology has to offer, it has been an absolute pleasure to welcome back students to our actual music classrooms. While this school year has been challenging, from wearing masks and social distancing, to our normal day to day duties of running our programs, we continue to adapt in order to provide the best music education we have to offer our students.

As we look forward to CASMEC 2022, the California Music Educators Association, along with CBDA and our other affiliate organizations, have gone the extra mile to bring you some of the best professional development opportunities this February. As our classrooms have gone from virtual, to hybrid, to in person learning, (and everything in between), it is our hope that you will find these sessions to be helpful and resourceful as you continue to educate and inspire the next generation.

Of the numerous sessions that CASMEC has to offer this year, we hope all conference attendees will return to classrooms renewed and ready to take on the remainder of the academic year. For our Band Director membership, it is our hope that you will find these sessions beneficial and practical. As you continue to adapt and redesign your curriculum, please join us for “ Remixing Music Class: Empowering Musical Identity”. This panel session will engage participants in how to build learning experiences where students drive their own learning and, ultimately, build their own musical identities through a remixing project.

Considering the challenges that faced traditional ensemble models during the previous school year, many ensemble directors were given an opportunity to reflect on purpose. We hope you will consider joining us for “Director Role in Ensembles: What is Your True Purpose?”. This session will address questions such as: Why is music important? Why is your program important? How can you tell if a music program is successful? What is your product? How do music competitions factor into your teaching and the student experience/learning? Is there a place for exclusivity in an inclusive music education mindset? WHY are YOU teaching, WHAT you are teaching, on ANY given day/lesson?

CMEA will continue to keep our membership informed and up to date at CASMEC. We hope you will join us for our General Session on Thursday, 2/17/2022 at 2:00 pm. We also hope that you will be able to join us for the CMEA Awards Gala on Friday, 2/18/2022, at 5:00 pm, where we will honor some of the best music educators from across California.

As CMEA continues aiming to provide the highest quality advocacy for music educators and students in our state, we are excited to welcome everyone back in person this February and hope to see you at CASMEC 2022! For more information on advocacy, education, and the latest up-todate information, please visit our website at www.calmusiced.com.