The Midwest Clinic takes place December 16-18, 2026 at McCormick Place West, and is one of the leading instrumental music education conferences in the world.
Curriculum Planning with MakeMusic
You already know the job description doesn’t capture half of it.
Yes, you’re a music educator, but you’re also a counselor, mediator, mentor, coach, cheerleader, schedule-juggler, and, on some days, a miracle worker.
Your Guide to The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic
The Midwest Clinic takes place December 16-18, 2026, and even though it is already August, it’s never too early to start planning your Midwest trip!
Start the School Year Strong: How These MakeMusic Cloud Features Save Hours on Back-to-School Prep
Welcome back teachers and directors! The start of a new school year is filled with energy and excitement, but let’s be honest, it can also be filled with administrative hurdles.
From Zero to 100+ Instrumentalists: How Kim Rosenbaum Built a Thriving Music Program in the Center of Brooklyn
When Kimberly Rosenbaum walked into P.S. 197, The King’s Highway Academy, in central Brooklyn six years ago, she was met with an ambitious goal from her administration: build an instrumental music program from scratch.
The 10 Benefits of Music Education for Students
In discussions about student success, those who have already had meaningful experiences with the arts understand the unique value music education holds.
8 Back-to-School Orchestra Tips
If you’re anything like me, August brings excitement and anticipation for the new school year. The days before students arrive are a time filled with meetings, trainings, and hopefully some time to yourself to prepare for the coming year.
The Importance of Warm-up Time for Instrumental Teachers
We all know that doing warm ups is important as part of a daily routine for instrumental music teachers. Individual and group warm ups can serve multiple functions that include physical, mental, and technical preparation for rehearsal.
Teach Your Orchestra to Improvise
While there was a time when improvisation was seen as nonessential to string education, today most teachers agree that they would like to incorporate improvisation into their classrooms.
Embracing Similarities #2: What Orchestras Can Learn From Bands
Many commonalities exist between the band and orchestra, yet an unnecessary divide can develop between the two. In our previous post, we began to bridge this gap by looking at what bands can learn from orchestras.