About PMEA
The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association is an organization, which exists for just that purpose. We are here to help the music educators of Pennsylvania in any many ways, through in-service sessions, print and network services, and interaction with thousands of experienced music educators. We offer opportunities for your students to perform in festivals, both honorary and adjudicated, for you to earn credit toward certification, and encourage excellence in the profession across the state.
The PMEA News our outstanding state magazine, will keep you abreast of current techniques and materials in music education, as well as what’s happening in state and national government and politics that affects music education. Our web site at www.pmea.net is continually updated with pertinent information, such as the all-state music library, Act 48 information, a jobs bulletin board and links to the PMEA Districts and the membership.
Many of our local PMEA Districts now offer one day In Service workshops with Act 48 credit. We also offer a summer music conference held at the PennStater in State College, which grants Act 48 credit. This is a one and a half day shot in the arm conference, which is offered free, with no tuition, room or board costs to you. Of course the highlight of each year is our annual PMEA State Conference. This is a great resource for keeping you up to date on the latest trends in all areas of music education, including technology. There are more than 100 clinic sessions, and concerts presented by your PMEA colleagues from elementary to college level. It is an opportunity for you to renew old acquaintances, make new ones and overall “recharge” the batteries each year. All PMEA sponsored conferences offer Act 48 credit.
PMEA is affiliated with MENC, the National Association for Music Education, which provides each of our members with more professional journals, the national Standards and Opportunity-to Learn Standards, along with access to advocacy materials that can help every music program improve. They also sponsor national projects such as the National Anthem Project, and outstanding programs such as Tri-M Music Honor Society. Being located in metro Washington D.C. positions the organization to lobby strongly for legislation and initiatives which benefit music education.
Our MIssion
The mission of PMEA is to advance music education by encouraging excellence in the study, teaching and making of music. Our objectives are to:
Promote and support quality music education, learning and performance.
Promote and support music education in schools and communities.
A major focus for PMEA is that a certified music educator teaches a comprehensive and sequential music education, based on national and state standards, to every child throughout our state. PMEA is proud of the role it plays in the lives of Pennsylvania’s children and in the tradition of musical excellence it fosters in our state. Our membership of more than 7,000 professional, collegiate, retired music educators and Tri-M members in secondary schools attests to a very strong commitment to quality music education in Pennsylvania.
To Download PMEA's Bylaws