2027 AMEA Conference (AL)
01/21/2027 - 01/23/2027
In-Person Event
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex
2100 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N
Birmingham, AL 35203
Clinic Details
Thursday, January 21
9:15 am – 10:05 am CST
Ready from Day One: 10 Steps to Foster Success When Leading Your Own Music Class
David Pope
This session will provide music education students and novice teachers with 10 immediate steps they can put in place to overcome
common pitfalls for young teachers. Attendees will discuss classroom routines, administrative tasks, building student rapport, and work-life balance to ensure their first year in the classroom is successful.
Thursday, January 21
3:30 pm – 4:20 pm CST
Proactive Problem Solving in Band and Orchestra: Strategies for Fixing Common Issues
David Pope
This interactive session will help band and orchestra directors identify, isolate, and teach common technical struggles—including note reading, range expansion, reading & performing rhythm, and aural training. Attendees will learn strategies to easily integrate rote exercises, print materials, and technology
into rehearsals to create a proactive, problem-solving environment.
Friday, January 22
9:00 am – 9:50 am CST
Empowering Your Students: Rehearsal Strategies That Build Leaders and Independent Musicians
David Pope
Transform your rehearsal by shifting ownership from the teacher to students. This session offers classroom-tested strategies that reduce the teachers’ role and empower K-12 instrumentalists. Learn to incorporate leadership,
small-group problem-solving, and diagnostic strategies into your rehearsals. Leave with a toolkit that builds independent musicians who improve their own performances.
Saturday, January 23
8:00 am – 8:50 am CST
Winning the Rehearsal: Strategies to Gamify and Energize Your Orchestra
David Pope
This interactive session introduces classroom-tested strategies like gamification and “hidden repetition” to teach string skills while avoiding student burnout. Attendees will depart with ready-to-use games, innovative exercises, proven rehearsal strategies, technology resources, and a shopping list of props that can be immediately implemented in their classroom to maximize student engagement.
Clinician Details
David Pope
David Pope is an Associate Professor of Music Education and Chair of Professional Studies at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music. In addition, he serves as a senior conductor and co-director of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory’s String Orchestra Camp. As an active adjudicator and clinician, he has conducted numerous all-state orchestras, regional honor orchestras, university summer camps, and served as a guest clinician for various orchestra programs throughout the United States. Dr. Pope has presented string pedagogy clinics and his research at state, regional, national, and international conferences. He currently serves as the editor for The String Research Journal and on the review committees for Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and Research Perspectives in Music Education. Dr. Pope recently served as a co-editor and compiler for Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra, Volume 4. He is also the recipient of the Distinguished Music Educator Award from the Yale Symposium for Music in Schools, the Emerging String Researcher Award from the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), the Presidential Service Award from ASTA, and the Outstanding Young Music Educator Award for the state of Tennessee. He taught middle and high school orchestra for 12 years in the public schools.