2023-2024 Conferences

Year of Programming

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Overview

Submission Information

Submittable Help

Questions and Communication

Call for Proposals Information

Performances Application Information

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA)

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Our Music Industry partners looking to submit a proposal for a sponsored session, click here.

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Overview

The Maryland Music Educators Association seeks Session Proposals, Performance Applications, and Sponsored Session Submissions for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

 

MMEA is returning to a pre-pandemic timeline for conference applications/planning. Session Proposals, Performance Applications and Sponsored Sessions will be accepted during the month of May 2023. This process will be for consideration of sessions/performances for all conference events in the 2023-2024 year.  

 

The 2023-2024 Fall Inservice and Annual State Conference will occur as in-person events. Attendees will learn applicable, pedagogy-based, proven practices from fellow Marylanders and national clinicians. Dates and details are as follows:

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MMEA Fall Inservice Conference 

Friday, October 20, 2023 - Long Reach High School - Columbia, MD. 

Seeking Session Proposals and Sponsored Sessions. Sessions will be 45 minutes in length. 

 

MMEA Annual State Conference 

Friday-Saturday, February 23-24, 2024 - Baltimore Convention Center - Baltimore, MD.  

(Full conference including All State concerts is Friday through Sunday - February 23 to 25, 2024)

Seeking Session Proposals, Performance Applications, and Sponsored Sessions. Sessions will be 60 minutes in length. 

 

The deadline to submit applications for consideration is Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 12:00 pm noon EST.  

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Submission Information

Timeline

• May 1: Call for Proposals & Performance Application Opens

• May 31, 12:00 pm (noon) EST: Submission Window Closes 

• June: Review Process 

• July:  Notification of selected presenters/performers 

• August: Sessions & Conference Information made public

• October 20: Fall Inservice Conference, Long Reach HS, Columbia, MD. 

• February 23-25, 2024: Annual Inservice Conference, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD.

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Submittable Help

1. Click here for support or contact support@submittable.com for all technical/navigation issues. 

2. If you need to edit your proposal after submitting it, you may make this request through the Submittable platform. Edits may be made only through the deadline for submission. 

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Questions and Communication

Please direct all questions to the MMEA Team at mmeamarylandinfo@gmail.com.

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Call for Proposals

 

Type of Session

Sessions may be one of the following:

• Presentation

• Presentation with Demonstration Ensemble/Group 

 

Length of Session

Fall Inservice and Annual State Conference session length

• Fall Inservice (October) - 45-Minute Sessions

• Annual State Conference (February) - 60-Minute Sessions

 

Event Consideration  

Select the event(s) for which this session should be considered 

• Fall Inservice Only - Friday October 20, 2023

• Annual State Conference Only - February 23-24, 2024

• Either Conference - The committee will decide where the session may be best scheduled if selected. 

 

Strands

Sessions should align with one or more of the following content strands. Applicants will be asked to choose the one area that could be considered a Primary Strand, as well as additional strands applicable for session consideration.

• Classroom Music

• Band

• Chorus

• Orchestra

• Emerging Ensemble

• Emerging Practices

• Music Technology 

• Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Access (DEIA)

• Collegiate (Student) 

• Higher Education (Faculty)

• Music Administration

 

Levels/Contexts

Sessions should be applicable to one or more grade level(s)/contexts:

• Elementary School

• MIddle School

• High School

• College

• Community 

• Other

 

Proposal Guidelines for Sessions

• This Call for Proposals is for individual MMEA/NAfME member proposed sessions only. 

  • Music industry partners interested in submitting for a sponsored session should use the Sponsored Session submission form. 

• Sessions can be submitted for consideration for the Fall Inservice (October), the Annual State Conference (February), or allow the committee to choose where the session is most needed. 

• Each proposal submitted must focus on one or more strands. 

• Multiple proposals are welcome.

• Sessions should be interactive, and engaging.

• Multiple presenters (up to 3) per proposal are welcome.  

• Proposals are welcome in all existing, expanding, and emerging pathways in PreK–12 music education, music teacher education, higher education, and music administration.

• MMEA has a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access. Proposals should identify strategies on how the session would be accessible to ALL participants.

• All sessions for the Fall Inservice will be 45 minutes in length and sessions for the Annual State Conference will be 60 minutes in length - time should include the presentation as well as time for Q&A. 

• Those submitting the proposal must be a member of NAfME at the time of submission, and if accepted, presenters must be members of NAfME at the time of the conference. Please join/renew here.

  • Exceptions to the membership requirement may be made by the MMEA President for individuals whose areas of expertise are outside music education.

• Professionals of all ages, cultures, and experience levels are encouraged to submit.

• Selected presenters will be expected to register and attend the conference on the day(s) during which they are presenting. For the Annual State Conference, presenters are encouraged to register and attend the full conference. 

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Proposal Guidelines for Sessions with a Demonstration Ensemble/Group

• All educators/directors/conductors of all performing ensembles submitting applications must be a current member of MMEA/NAfME. Please join/renew here.

  • MMEA/NAfME Membership must be active at the point of application as well as through the dates of the conference. 

  • Exceptions to the membership requirement may be made by the MMEA President for those ensembles from outside of the field of music education.

• Educators/Directors/Conductors of selected ensembles (if different from presenter) are encouraged to attend the full conference. They will be expected to register for a minimum of a one-day registration and must be registered attendees on the day(s) during which they are presenting/performing. 

• Performers in selected ensembles will have the option to attend additional conference sessions and performances (based on space availability) on the day slated for performance.

• All selected ensembles will be asked to schedule a window to visit the conference exhibits, if applicable. 

 

Call for Proposal Required Information

• All presenters wishing to be considered, must submit a Session Proposal. This application will ask for the following information/materials:

  • Presenter(s) name(s), headshot, bio, contact information & NAfME membership number

  • Event Consideration  - Fall Inservice and/or Annual Conference

    • Fall Inservice Only - Friday October 20, 2023

    • Annual State Conference Only - February 23-24, 2024

    • Either Conference - The committee will decide where the session may be best scheduled if selected. 

  • Title and Description of the proposed session 

  • Summary of specific needs for proposed sessions, such as AV, equipment, etc. 

  • Scheduling preferences/constraints

• Demonstration Groups - If the session includes a demonstration ensemble/group, the following will be required:

  • Director/Conductor name, contact information, & MMEA/NAfME Membership Number (if different than primary presenter)

  • Ensemble/Institution Name

  • Recent concert program (2022-2023 academic year)

  • Summary of how the ensemble/group will participate in this session. 

  • Two (2) audio or audio & video recordings of two (2) representative performance selections by the ensemble from the current school year. (2022-2023)

    • Do not include any recorded words, announcements, titles, or thumbnail slides that would identify the group or its conductor on the recording. (For video, please avoid backgrounds/settings that identify group, but we know this may not be possible.)

  • Prediction of equipment and other logistical needs.

  • School/Institution Administrator Contact Information

 

Application Steps

1. Read the guidelines and requirements.

2. Create an account in the online submission platform, or sign in to an existing account. When creating an account, you will be asked to provide an email address and create a password.  

3. If your proposal has a co-presenter (3 maximum), only one person should fill out the session proposal.

4. Complete all required sections of the online form.

5. Click “Submit” to finalize your submission.

6. Upon successful submission of a proposal, an automated confirmation email will be sent to the email address associated with your account. Please forward this to any co-presenters and save a copy for your records.

7. After a proposal is submitted, the status will be "In Progress” through the review process.

8. After the reviews are completed, an email updating you on the status of your proposal will be sent to the email address used in the session proposal.

Review/Selection Process: 

• Submissions/Applications will go through a multiple-step review process beginning with a blind review and final consideration by the MMEA Conference Committee consisting of board, component officers, and selected members.

• The MMEA Conference Committee reserves the right to select session proposals that best address the given criteria.

• MMEA reserves the right to edit session titles and descriptions. ​

 

Call for Proposals Form 

Use this form for individual member-proposed sessions. 

Music industry partners interested in submitting for a sponsored session should use the Sponsored Session form.

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Link to rubric

 

 

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Performance Applications​

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Performance Type 

Performances should feature ensembles/groups classified as: 

• Classroom Music

• Band

• Chorus

• Orchestra

• Emerging Ensemble (e.g., Steel Pan, Ukuleles, Modern Band)

• Other

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Performance Levels 

Performance features can come from: 

• Elementary School

• Middle School

• High School

• College

• Community

• Professional

• Other

 

Performance Information

Applications for performance will be reviewed and considered for featured performances at the Annual State Conference (February) only. Featured performances are not selected for the Fall Inservice. Ensembles may be involved in the Fall Inservice as demonstration ensembles for a given session.  All accepted performances will be 60-minutes in length.

 

Performance Ensemble/Group Guidelines

• MMEA acknowledges the wide diversity of performing ensembles and encourages the submission of traditional, emerging, innovative, and alternative ensembles of all ages, experience levels, program sizes, cultures, and genres.

  • Ensembles/Groups from across the region are encouraged to apply.  Attention will be given to Maryland geographic location, depending on the application pool. 

• All educators/directors/conductors of all performing ensembles submitting applications must be a current member of MMEA/NAfME. Please join/renew here.

  • MMEA/NAfME Membership must be active at the point of application as well as through the dates of the conference. 

  • Exceptions to the membership requirement may be made by the MMEA President for those ensembles from outside of the field of music education.

• Educators/Directors/Conductors of selected ensembles (if different from presenter) will be expected to register and attend the conference on the day(s) during which they are presenting/performing. For the Annual State Conference, educators are encouraged to register and attend the full conference. 

• Performers in selected ensembles will have the option to attend additional conference sessions and performances (based on space availability) on the day slated for performance.

• All selected ensembles will be asked to schedule a window to visit the conference exhibits, if applicable. 

 

Performance Application Required Information

• All performing ensembles wishing to be considered for the 2024 MMEA State Conference (February) must complete an Application for Performance. This application will ask for the following information/materials:

  • Director/Conductor name, contact information, headshot, bio, & MMEA/NAfME Membership Number (if different than primary presenter)

  • Ensemble/Institution Name

  • Recent concert program (2022-2023 academic year)

  • Two (2) audio or audio & video recordings of two (2) representative performance selections by the ensemble from the current school year. (2022-2023)

    • Do not include any recorded words, announcements, titles, or thumbnail slides that would identify the group or its conductor on the recording. (For video, please avoid backgrounds/settings that identify group, but we know this may not be possible.)

  • Prediction of equipment and other logistical needs.

  • School/Institution Administrator Contact Information  

 

Application Steps

1. Read the application outline guidelines and requirements above. 

2. Create an account in the online submission platform, or sign in to an existing account. When creating an account, you will be asked to provide an email address and create a password. This email address will be used for communication regarding the status of the proposal/application.  

3. If your ensemble/group has more than one director/conductor (2 maximum), only one person should fill out the session proposal.

4. Complete all required sections of the online form.

5. Click “Submit” to finalize your submission.

6. Upon successful submission of a proposal, an automated confirmation email will be sent to the email address associated with your account. Please forward this to any second directors/conductors  and save a copy for your records.

7. After a proposal is submitted, the status will be "In Progress” through the review process.

8. After the reviews are completed, an email updating you on the status of your proposal will be sent to the email address associated with your account.

 

Review/Selection Process: 

• Submissions/Applications will go through a multiple-step review process beginning with a blind review and final consideration by the MMEA Conference Committee consisting of board, component officers, and selected members.

Performance Application Link

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Link to rubric.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA)

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MMEA is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community in which participants and members of all backgrounds can access events, programs, services, and be treated fairly. Harassment, discrimination, prejudice, or bias in admission, employment, volunteering, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, ancestry, or military service will not be tolerated.