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!
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.