Take 5 for OMEA
January 2026 News from the OMEA
Welcome to the Oregon Music Education Association's monthly e-newsletter, "Take 5 for OMEA." This e-newsletter has the most current news and information all in a 5 minute or less read. You can view past e-newsletters by clicking here.
Please visit our website at www.oregonmea.org for the latest on news and information at OMEA. You can visit our calendar page by clicking here.
OMEA Conference Begins Next Week!
OMEA 2026, "A Universal Language," will be held at the Graduate Hotel, Eugene on January 16-18th.
We are thrilled to welcome Reena Esmail as this year's Keynote Speaker!
***Per OMEA's policies, teachers who have students selected for All-State must register for OMEA's conference.
Click here for the most up-to-date conference schedule!
Please click here to register.
Click here to find a list of nearby hotels in the Eugene/Springfield area.
OMEA will host two events at the conference for our collegiate music education majors:
- A panel discussion on preparing for career / what you wish you knew before you started.
- Mock interviews 1:1 for future teachers in their final year before teaching.
If you are willing to participate in either of these, please reach out to Mari Schay.
If you are Interested in presiding over a session, reach out to conferencechair@oregonmea.org.
Elizabeth Soper
OMEA Conference Chair
Dutch Bros, 2025-26 Title Sponsor
Dutch Bros Coffee's story began in 1992 with brothers Dane and Travis Boersma, who left their family's struggling dairy farm in Grants Pass, Oregon, to pursue a new venture. They purchased an espresso machine and a pushcart, setting up shop near the railroad tracks. The brothers, of Dutch ancestry, named their company Dutch Bros, honoring their heritage. They initially offered flavored coffee to friends and family before venturing into the community, quickly gaining popularity for their unique drinks and friendly service.
All-State 2026!
If you are attending the OMEA Conference, your All-State Concert admission is covered by your conference fees. Simply show your OMEA Conference badge for admission. No ticket needed!
Conference attendees are welcome to drop by rehearsal venues to view rehearsals. View the rehearsal schedules here. Note: High school bands have very limited space at the U of O.
Please note new locations for All-State performances in 2026!
Friday, Jan. 16:
5 pm: Middle School Orchestra - Lane Community College, Ragozzino Hall
6 pm: Middle School Band - Willamette High School
6 pm: Middle School Treble Choir - First Baptist Church of Eugene
7:30 pm: Middle School Tenor/Bass Choir - First Baptist Church of Eugene
Saturday, Jan. 17:
5 pm: High School Jazz Band - Soreng Hall, the Hult Center
5 pm: Elementary Honor Choir - First Baptist Church of Eugene
Sunday, Jan. 18:
1 pm: High School Orchestra - Lane Community College, Ragozzino Hall
2:30 pm: High School Symphonic Band - Graduate Eugene Hotel, Playwrights Hall
3:30 pm: High School Wind Ensemble - Graduate Eugene Hotel, Playwrights Hall
4 pm: High School 9th and 10th Grade Choir - First Baptist Church of Eugene
5 pm: High School 11th and 12th Grade Choir - First Baptist Church of Eugene
All-State Information can be found at:
https://oregonmea.org/all-state/event-information/
Thank you for supporting your students through this process, and please let me know if you have any questions.
Kristi Stingle
OMEA All-State Chair
Portland State University Music & Theater, 2025-26 Gold Level Sponsor
The School of Music & Theater is located within the hub of musical and theatrical activity in the Pacific Northwest, only three blocks from the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. It maintains close ties to the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Portland Jazz Orchestra, Portland Piano International, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Chamber Music Northwest, Oregon Repertory Singers, Artists Repertory Theater, Portland Center Stage, Milagro Theatre, and Third Rail Repertory Theater, among other organizations. Faculty and students alike interact with these performing organizations in various ways.
OMEA Elections
Elections are open for OMEA's next President! This is a six-year commitment:
2026-28, 1st Vice President
2028-30, President
2030-32, Past-President
We thank Joe Demianew and Kent Wilson for stepping forward as this year's candidates! Please click on the image to learn more about these worthy colleagues.
Ben Lawson
OMEA Past President
Beacock Music, 2025-26 Silver Level Sponsor
Beacock Music has been a family- owned company since we first opened in 1976. In addition to Vancouver, we have two additional locations! Eugene opened in 2018 and Albany opened in 2022. They both have full service repair departments, full School Services Division, plus band and orchestra instruments, guitars, percussion, digital pianos, accessories, and print music!
OMEA Advocacy & Public Policy
OMEA HILL DAY: Advocacy in Action!
Thursday, February 19th
Oregon Capitol in Salem
Want to learn more? Come to the January Advocacy Committee meeting on Tuesday the 20th.
Want to come in person? Make sure you put in for a personal day.
Want to engage in some other way? Stay tuned for updates from your district chairs.
Click here to support Federal Funding Impacting Arts Education
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE – COME JOIN US!
This year, OMEA is resuscitating our Advocacy Committee! The goals of this committee are:
Collaborate statewide on advocacy challenges and successes
Collect real-time information to be shared with decision makers, and share templates for contacting decision makers on a monthly cycle
Discuss best practices for local level advocacy
Plan logistics about two major advocacy events
Oregon Hill Day, February 2026
Music In Our Schools Month ®, March 2026
Meetings have already been scheduled and are listed on the OMEA website calendar (it’s easy to add to your google calendar from there!). All are welcome and PDUs are available to those to attend. All meeting will be held on Google Meet at this link: https://meet.google.com/ykw-gsrd-twk
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 5:30-6:30pm
Monday, February 23, 5:30-6:30pm
GET TO KNOW YOUR SCHOOL BOARD
Your school board may be welcoming new members – now is the time to get to know them! If you take one step in these next few weeks, figure out who to talk to about getting on the schedule to perform with your students.
Additionally, this document from the Human Rights Campaign is an incredible resource for understanding and demystifying school board structures and processes. It’s full of checklists to help you get started.
School Boards Matter: A Guide to Effectively Advocating At The School Board Level
School board information is listed on each individual school district’s website. Each district has different timelines for signing up to speak or perform, so check carefully with your local guidance.
LINKS 🔗
Program Standards for Music in Oregon Schools (working on updating, stay tuned!)
National Music Standards One-Pager
Need advocacy support? Contact us!
Laura Arthur
OMEA Public Policy Chair
Stephen Marshall
OMEA Advocacy Chair
Linfield University, 2025-26 Silver Level Sponsor
Linfield’s Department of Music offers creative opportunities for musicians of all levels and skill sets regardless of major.
Whether you’re here to major or minor in music or participate in one of our ensemble groups, you will work closely with world-class faculty and perform side-by-side with professional musicians.
Our undergraduate program will prepare you for lifelong engagement with music as performers, educators, conductors, composers, thinkers, listeners, and writers.
OMEA Mentorship Program
Are you in your first 5 years of teaching music in Oregon?
Or, are you an experienced educator ready to support our new teachers?
Start the year strong - Join our new OMEA Mentorship Program!
Give the gift of support to yourself, a new teacher, or someone who just moved to Oregon.
Find out more and apply HERE
251 Realty, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
Travis Moddison is a real estate broker dedicated to serving southern Oregon with professionalism and value. He also runs a YouTube channel providing information on Oregon, and updates on news/events impacting Oregonians. In addition to real estate, Travis is an active musician with the Rogue Valley Symphony and raises ducks as a hobby. He loves to have evening jam sessions with his wife and three sons.
OMEA Small Schools Advocacy News
Music Educators!
Please find us on Facebook by clicking here.
Click here for the OSSTF November/December Newsletter.
Excitingly, NAfME has recently put together a Small Schools Initiative. The website for this initiative is full of useful videos and information provided by small schools music educators from around the country. You can find those resources by clicking here.
OMEA Small Schools encourages all small and rural school music educators to attend this year’s conference January 15-18, 2026. The conference will include programming specific to small and rural school music educators as well as numerous networking and community building opportunities. OMEA prides itself on a conference that provides many informative and inspiring sessions and performances to address the diverse needs of music educators from all over the state. Get registered today to join the fun!
Melissa Jmaeff
OMEA Small Schools Chair
Bandworld, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
Bandworld features the American Band College of Central Washington University hosted in southern Oregon each summer. WIBC's ensembles are auditioned and meet annually in the fall in SeaTac.
From the OMEA President...
Please read the Advocacy & Public Policy Newsletter. We are planning a STATE HILL DAY FOR THIS FEBRUARY and we want YOU on the planning committee. This is the kind of thing that fires folks up - I've spoken with administrators, Tri-M and collegiate chapters that are excited about this! We are looking for people in EVERY OMEA DISTRICT to help create materials and structure for this impactful event. Hope to see you at our next meeting November 18th - just an hour a month, folks!
Erika Lockwood
OMEA President
Canter Flute Repair, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
Your flute should never stand in the way of your music. Our mission is to care for your instrument with the highest skill and precision, so it responds with true resonance and reliability, letting your artistry take center stage. And when it’s time to discover something new, we’ll help you find the right fit among our selection of new and used flutes and piccolos.
Oregon Orchestra News
Dear Orchestra Colleagues,
Join OBDA (especially high school directors): It is cheap, and our orchestra voice is getting stronger with voting rights and board representation!
Register for the Conference this year! We have a lot of fabulous clinicians, colleagues wanting to connect, and student musicians to support. I look forward to seeing everyone in January!
I have begun adding information received to a google doc, since things come in throughout the month and frequently have time-sensitive deadlines. I’ll keep it as a running document so everyone will have access throughout the year, and will have it linked in this newsletter monthly.
Please continue sending me edits to the contact list and information you would like to share with the greater Oregon Orchestra community! As I receive things, I’ll add them to this rolling document:
If you’d like anything added to the document in November, send me the details!
As always, let me know if you have anything to share with the orchestra community.
Brigid Mayer
OMEA Orchestra Chair
Music Camps at Wallowa Lake, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
Each Summer, thousands of young musicians set out to expand their musical education through exciting programs where they can learn and grow amongst their friends and peers. One such program is the Music Camp at Wallowa Lake.
Over 100 young musicians travel each year to Wallowa Lake for their Brass and Woodwinds Camp!
Oregon Choir News
For over 60 years, the American Choral Directors Association has been the preeminent association for choral conductors throughout the United States.
Curious about membership? Select one of the options below to see what ACDA can do for you!
Kathy Briggs
OMEA Choir Chair
Northwest Band Camp, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
As you know last year Oregon Band Directors Association voted to add orchestra teachers as voting members of OBDA. We are currently looking to add an Orchestra committee and are searching for current orchestra teachers to head that committee. If you or another orchestra teacher would be interested, please let our current president Frank Petrik know. Any voting member or person on a committee needs to be a member of the OBDA.
Our middle school commission chair, Travis Freshner, would like some input from members going into the next commission project. Please complete the survey on the OBDA Facebook page or contact Travis to share your ideas..
Jen Bell
OMEA Band Chair
Oregon Symphony, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
The Oregon Symphony was founded as the "Portland Symphony Society" in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States. Its home venue is the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland's Cultural District.
Oregon Jazz News
Hi Everyone! I'm looking for feedback from you on this year's new Jazz All State audition material. If you have a moment, please click HERE for the survey. You can answer anonymously if you'd prefer.
Also, check out Dawn Clement's (our All State Jazz conductor's) new album, Delight. I'm unsure if we've ever had a female all state jazz conductor before, so this is a special occasion!
Lastly, the Adjudicator Database is still live and taking submissions. You can find links to both on the OMEA website.
The Oregon Jazz Adjudicator Database is up and running! The purpose of this resource is to provide festival coordinators with a comprehensive and diverse list of professionals who are interested in adjudicating and providing jazz education in a festival setting. Each person on the list provided their own biography, experience, preferences, etc.
The current Jazz Adjudicator Database can be found HERE.
Those accessing the database should be able to filter and organize the list however they'd like (by location, instrument, race/gender, etc.), but won't be able to alter the spreadsheet's contents.
It is not too late to be added to this list! Submit requests to be added to the spreadsheet by filling out THIS FORM.
Jeff Chang (Washington MEA Jazz Chair) is compiling a list of jazz festivals in the Northwest for the 25-26 school year to publish. If you are hosting a jazz festival (not a league contest) where schools from Washington and Idaho would be welcome to attend, please reach out to Jessika directly for the link to the spreadsheet. You can find these events on OMEA calendar as well.
Jessika Smith
OMEA Jazz Chair
Pacific Lutheran University, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
Distinguished teachers, talented students, and supportive public: these are the people who make the Department of Music at PLU a nationally recognized center for musical learning, serving, and sharing.
OMEA Student Composition Contest
Thank you for your submissions to this year's OMEA Student Composition Contest! We look forward to showcasing the winners at the 2026 OMEA Conference!
Click below for previous composition contest winners.
2024-25 Composition Contest Winners
2023-24 Composition Contest Winners
2022-23 Composition Contest Winners
2021-22 Composition Contest Winners
2020-21 Composition Contest Winners
2019-20 Composition Contest Winners
2018-19 Composition Contest Winners
Kathy Briggs
Traditional Composition
Jason Rodgers
Electronic, Songwriting, and Loop-based Music
Portland Orff Association, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
The Portland Orff Schulwerk Association serves music educators in Oregon and Southwest Washington, promoting and supporting the teaching and enjoyment of music for the whole individual. Join us! Membership in POSA comes with benefits: reduced admission to workshops, use of our instrumentarium, and the knowledge that you are doing your part to spread the word about Orff Schulwerk in the Pacific Northwest. POSA is a chapter of AOSA, the American Orff Schulwerk Association.
Young Musicians & Artists, 2025-26 Bronze Level Sponsor
YMA's mission is to provide young people with a unique personal experience in the visual and performing arts, where they share creative interests in a positive environment that builds confidence, enhances self-esteem and reinforces a sense of community.
OMEA Equity News
We are the Oregon Music Educators Equity professional learning community! If you have a brilliant resource, song, approach, or idea that you want to share with other music educators, please share it here.
Equity Highlight - Check out the NAfME Equity Resource Center
NAfME DEIAB Resources from the Diversity Equity Inclusion Access and Belonging Resource Center -
NAfME offers position statements, legislative information, webinars, academic journal articles, blog posts, and more to help answer your questions and guide your decisions as a music educator. Featured Resources are - Fact sheets, guides, webinars, talking points, reports and more to equip music educators with the tools you need to succeed in the classroom and to help advance the profession.
Click below and log into NAfME to view the Resource Library. Search the NAfME Resource Library with the terms Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or Access for more related resources.
Cynthia Navarro
OMEA DEI Chair
Cauble, Furr & Beguin
Whatever area of law we are engaged in on behalf of our clients, our well-honed skills as trial lawyers, estate planning attorneys and administrative law attorneys come into play.
Chamber Music Northwest
Enjoy exceptional chamber music with Chamber Music Northwest's digital concerts available virtually at CMNW.org and live concerts in Portland, Oregon.
Ian Fuller Percussion
Ian is an experienced percussionist who has learned from some of the Northwest's greatest, including Mel Brown, Nick Werth, and Greg McKelvey. He is an educator and a performer, specializing in marching percussion and drum set, with a smaller focus in orchestral percussion. He currently lives in Hillsboro, Oregon.
NAfME Professional Learning
Looking for more professional development opportunities? See all of the NAfME webinars on their Professional Learning Calendar.
Need advocacy support? Contact advocacy@oregonmea.org
Educational Travel Services, Inc
When teachers want to take their students on a new travel experience or a specific subject is being explored, ETSI can help design the perfect trip suited to your needs.
Eugene Ballet
Eugene Concert Choir
The Eugene Concert Choir is an enduring, vital part of the community which gives adult avocational singers the opportunity to perform at a professional level so that the beauty and power of choral singing is enjoyed and appreciated by all.
OMEA Survey
Are you teaching music technology? Curious or planning to? Are you being directed to add this to your curriculum or offer a class? The OMEA is gathering data on the current status of music technology classes in our schools: what’s being offered, what’s being planned, and what resources teachers have or need. Your insights will help guide future support, training, and collaboration opportunities across the state.
Click here to access the survey.
Jason Rodgers
OMEA Secondary General Music Chair
J.W. Pepper
Metropolitan Youth Symphony
Music-ade, LLC
Tri-M
A Tri-M® Music Honor Society chapter opens up a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.
Oregon Children's Choir
The Oregon Children's Choir has served kids in Lane County for over 40 years. We offer excellent singing opportunities for kids in 1st through 12th grade.
Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival
Peripole
OMEA Publications
Please click here to access OMEA publications. Issuu will now archive all OMEA publications dating back to 1948. These older editions will be posted as access becomes available for scanning.
Please contact JJ Sutton if you are interested in submitting an article for future publications.
Portland Youth Philharmonic
Is is the mission of the Portland Youth Philharmonic Association to prepare young people for success through musical excellence. High-quality music education is accessible to all young people in our culturally diverse community.
Quartet Violin Shop
Southern Oregon University
Follow OMEA on Social Media!
Follow OMEA on Instagram at "oregonmusiceducation."
You can also follow OMEA on Facebook by liking "Oregon Music Education Association."
OMEA social media is a great way to receive news and updates in real time!
University of Portland
Western Oregon University
Yamaha Corporation, USA
Yamaha aims to contribute to the “Well-Being of People around the World.” With our unique expertise and sensibilities, gained from our devotion to sound and music, we are committed to creating excitement and cultural inspiration together with people around the world.
NAfME
OMEA
Vision: OMEA will serve as the trusted source for music advocacy in Oregon and will strive to increase the quality and accessibility of music education in our state.
Misson: OMEA supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to a high-quality and comprehensive music education for all students in Oregon.