Washington Music Educators Association Programs
WMEA provides annual conferences which provide school music educators at all levels the opporunity to study focused topics to improve their skills. Conferences also allow music educators to network with those who teach the same courses in other schools.
WMEA provides opportunities for oustanding music students to expand their skills by participating in regional and statewide honor groups as well as regional and statewide solo and ensemble contests and festivals. These extended learning opportunities allow those students to return to their school groups and influence their peers by applying their improved musical and leadership skills.
Through its Young Musicians Excelling fund, WMEA stives to ensure that any students with a genuine financial need will be able to have the monetary assistance needed to participate in WMEA-provided extended-learning musical opportunities. YME also has established a long-term endowment fund to ensure that future students will have the financial support needed.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
By partnering with the Seattle Symphony and Maestro Gerard Schwarz, on two occasions in recent years the members of the WMEA All-State and MENC All-Northwest Orchestras have had the opportunity to rehearse and perform side by side with the Seattle Symphony in Benaroya Hall.
With the difficult economy, many music teachers have had their teaching loads increased and have less time to devote to volunteering to operate beneficial student events. WMEA is willing to assist with managing those events, but needs additional funding for staff time, technological upgrades and event supervision to ensure that these valuable student events can continue to be offered.