TMEA 2026 Clinic/Convention
02/11/2026 - 02/13/2026
In-Person Event
Henry B. González Convention Center
900 E Market St
San Antonio, TX 78205
Clinic Details
Thursday, February 12
11:30 am – 12:30 pm CST
Music Literacy in Minutes a Day
Dr. Cynthia Gonzales
Dr. Cynthia Gonzales will present a range of short activities, from simple to complex, that nurture music literacy—a network of skills foundational for performing and listening musicians. Literacy Exercises develop good musicianship at all grade levels, as required in TEKS grades 1-12. Dr. Gonzales will share activities available on YouTube, via MakeMusic Cloud, and for teachers to perform themselves.
Thursday, February 12
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST
Supercharge Your Rehearsals to Inspire Individual Practice
Brian Balmages
While band and orchestra rehearsals are critical for teaching balance, intonation, and more, teachers often wish students were more engaged and further motivated to practice at home. Join Brian Balmages and the Tejeda Middle School Band in a live rehearsal demonstrating ways to further engage students and recharge those batteries, so students are more likely to bring that energy home and practice!
Wednesday, February 11
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm CST
Tools to Enhance Your Teaching & Simplify Your To-Do List
Marianne White
Need more hours in the day? Let’s talk about some tools that can lighten your load! Leave this session with ready-to-implement ideas to help you streamline communication, file organization, and other daily tasks in addition to tools to support student learning and growth goals. Free and paid solutions will be explored, all with a focus on how you can maximize your teaching and streamline other tasks.
Friday, February 13
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm CST
Music Playcations: Gamification for Everyone
Krystal Williams
Music Playcations: Gamification for Everyone is a session that uses Gamification-the process of adding games or game-like elements to a learning activity. This session will engage participants with games designed to introduce, teach and or refine foundational music skills in a fun and meaningful way. Participants will play their way through several games (with and without the use of technology) that are focused on Air Support, Articulation and Rhythmic Accuracy, to name a few.
Friday, February 13
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
Developing and Maintaining A Parent Orchestra
Annie Ray
Music has the power to bring people together, foster creativity, and create a sense of community. There has been a growing interest in parent involvement in their children’s musical education. One innovative proposal is the creation of a parent orchestra within school programs. This session will explore how to properly create a parent orchestra and the benefits of establishing a parent orchestra.
Featuring the Wylie Parent Orchestra; Brian Coatney, Director.
Friday, February 13
11:00 am – 12:00 pm CST
Play It Forward! Exploring the Musical Edge Effect
Brian Balmages
How can conductors reliably select great music? How can composers maintain artistry across grade levels? How can publishers help composers break into the field? How can publishers hurt that potential? How can performers of all ages benefit from the right synergy of all the above? Get ready to explore that magical intersection of possibility between composer, conductor, publisher and performer!
Clinician Details
Dr. Cynthia Gonzales
Cynthia I. Gonzales (“Dr. G”), an Associate Professor in the School of Music at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, was honored in 2019 as a Texas State University System Regents’ Teacher and received the 2018 Texas State Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. Before joining the professoriate in the mid-1990s, Dr. G taught K-12 general and choral music in both public and private schools, as well as applied voice lessons. Soon after earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas in 1982, Dr. G started singing with professional choral ensembles, beginning with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale in the mid-1980s and concluding with the San Antonio Chamber Choir in 2016. She performed with Grammy®-winning Conspirare for 16 seasons, serving as Soprano Section Leader for more than a decade. She continues to make transcriptions and arrangements for Conspirare when published scores are unavailable. Dr. G is currently on the editorial board for the College Music Society’s Symposium and for the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy. Additionally, she has been a Reader for the AP Music Theory Exam since 2015. In her spare time, she weeds her garden.
Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages is known worldwide as a composer and conductor who equally spans the worlds of orchestral, band, and chamber music. His music has been performed by groups ranging from professional symphony orchestras to elementary schools in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and many others. As a conductor, he has performed in nearly all 50 states and internationally. He is Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred Music and MakeMusic.
Annie Ray
Annie Ray is the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School in Fairfax County Public Schools. A strong advocate for universal music education access, she founded creative programs like the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education Parent Orchestra and the Crescendo Orchestra for students with disabilities. Ray is a highly sought-after speaker, giving the TEDx talk, The Sounds of Success. Her many honors include the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award and being named the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year. She is also an active professional harpist and lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Krystal Williams
Krystal Williams is the Band Director at Suitland High School's Creative, Visual, and Performing Arts Program for Prince George's County Public Schools, following 15 years with Baltimore City Schools. She is an Adjunct Professor/Lecturer for Music Education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Ms. Williams holds a B.A. in Music and an M.A. in Teaching. She has held leadership roles in MMEA Maryland and the Association of Black Women Band Directors. Her passion lies in Arts Education Advocacy and developing educators through 21st-century methods.
