UMN School of Music Takes on the 2025 MMEA Midwinter Convention

Gospel Choir performs on MMEA stage

Faculty, staff, and students will be representing the University of Minnesota School of Music at the annual Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Midwinter Convention! All convention attendees are welcome to stop by booth #117 to chat with us and learn more about the SoM.

We are thrilled to announce that Music Education PhD student Nicole Thietje was just elected as the new President-Elect of MMEA! Earlier this year, Dr. Danni Gilbert was awarded Minnesota Collegiate Music Educator of the Year, and will be honored in a ceremony on Thursday, February 13 at 1:00 PM. Dr. Akosua Addo serves as Research Chair and leads the poster session. 

Attendees can catch a performance highlight on Saturday, February 15 at 10:15 AM. Dr. Betsy McCann, Professor Marissa Benedict, Ensembles Manager Emily Borra, DMA student Seth Davis, sixteen UMN Brass & Percussion students, and the Minneapolis Brass Ensemble will perform together in the Auditorium Main, featuring School of Music Director Patrick Warfield as the emcee. 

SoM alumni are invited to attend a reception at Brit’s Pub Thursday, February 13 at 5:45 PM. A RSVP is required and light appetizers will be served. Each participant will also receive a drink ticket. 

Several School of Music students have been accepted to perform in the MMEA Collegiate Honor Band, listed below. Dr. John Leonard will serve as one of the conductors of the band:

  • Flute, Emily Sheldon

  • Oboe, Olivia Dodge

  • Oboe, Lauren Rhode

  • Bassoon, Kyle Hadley

  • Clarinet,  Emily Fatkhiyev

  • Clarinet,. Monica Robertson

  • Clarinet, Isabella Wells 

  • Bari Sax, Emmett Borton

  • Trumpet, Kareem Abu-Hijleh

  • Trumpet, Ella Hammen

  • Trombone, Emily Teigland

  • Trombone, Blake Labarge 

  • Tuba, Gideon Lundin

  • Percussion, Miranda Sackett
     

The following School of Music professors, staff members, and students will be presenting at the convention: 

  • Thursday, 2/13, 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: Prof. Scott Iseminger (General Music Methods) presenting, "More Than Gold Stars and Stickers: Music Classroom Management," 200DEFG

  • Thursday, 2/13, 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: Malcolm Burke (GTA, band), Christiana Howell (GTA, choir), and James T. Chang presenting, "So you want to go to grad school? A conductor's guide," 205CD

  • Thursday, 2/13 at 11:15am Ensembles Manager Emily Borra presents a P.I.T. stop session on French horn. Thursday, 2/13, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Dr. Danni Gilbert receiving award for Collegiate Music Educator of the Year, The WARMUP, Ballroom A 

  • Thursday, 2/13, 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM: Dr. Danni Gilbert presenting, "Measuring Joy: Reevaluating Music Education Assessment," Auditorium 1

  • Thursday, 2/13 at 2:45 - 3:10 PM: Prof. Ellen Dinwiddie Smith (horn): "Secrets to jump starting young French Horn Players," 205CD

  • Thursday, 2/13, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Dr. Adrian Davis (and others) presenting, "Sonic (R)evolution," Auditorium 3

  • Thursday, 2/13, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Becca Shuman (MM student in MUED) directing performance of Eagan High School Wind Symphony, Auditorium Main

  • Friday, 2/14, 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Tsai-Rung Li and Xiaowei Guo (PhD MUED students), presenting at graduate research poster session, The Mezzanine Level (close to registration desk)

  • Friday, 2/14, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Dr. Emily Heuschele (strings techniques) presenting, "Differentiation in the ukulele class," 205AB

  • Friday, 2/14, 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM: Dr. Emily Heuschele (strings techniques) presenting, "Beginning bowing strategies: Controversy and consensus," 205CD

  • Friday, 2/14, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Dr. Danni Gilbert and Catherine Grimm (PhD MUED student) presenting "The Mental Health of Music Majors," Auditorium 1

  • Friday, 2/14, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Dr. Casey Clementson presenting, "Teach like a champion...in music!" 205CD

  • Saturday, 2/15, 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM: Prof. Luckhardt and Charles Weise, "MBDA Young Band Literature Reading Session," Auditorium Main

  • Saturday, 2/15, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Dr. Casey Clementson, "Flute fundamentals: From flexibility to fingers!" 205AB

  • Saturday, 2/15, 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Seth Davis (GTA, band), Dr. Betsy McCann, Dr. Marissa Benedict, "Homegrown: Minneapolis Brass Ensemble & The UMN Brass and Percussion Players," Auditorium Main

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