Welcome to the APME Memphis 2025 conference. Here, you’ll be able to register for the conference and update your Sched profile. The conference schedule will be available in late spring 2025. At that time, you can view the schedule and select the presentations you’d like to attend. If you have any questions, please visit our conference website or contact us at conference@popularmusiceducation.org We look forward to coming together as a community June 4–7, 2025.
This session will explain and discuss the results from the first year of implementing The Record Company Game. Session participants will understand The Game Rules, The Rate Sheet, Timeline, Services Rendered Form, The Bank spreadsheet, and see student produced deliverables so they can implement The Game in their classrooms. Created by Barbara Freedman, the game is being played by students in the Greenwich High School Honors Electronic Music Composition & Studio Production classes. The purpose of the game is to give students real life experiences of what it is like to be an artist signed to a record company. Students play the role of the “artist” and be “hired” by the school Record Company for which they will receive a “Signing Bonus”. Students will produce professional level digital deliverables associated with the release of one musical recording (a “single”). Deliverables include the recording, social media posts, press releases, and other marketing tools. Students can earn “money” by doing work for other students the Record Company (Services Rendered). Bonuses and Late Fees may apply and are preset before the game begins according to the Rate Sheet. Prizes will be awarded for the student who engages the most number of students to work for them on their piece, the student who works for the most number of other students on their music, the composition itself, and other prizes that may be determined by the teachers along the course of the game.
Teacher/Adjunct, Greenwich High School/Montclair State U
Named the 2012 TI:ME Music Technology Teacher of the Year, Barbara Freedman has been teaching Electronic Music & Audio Engineering at Greenwich High School in Connecticut since 2001. She is the author of the book “Teaching Music Through Composition: A Curriculum Using Technology... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:15am CDT Classroom 101 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This presentation, led by a K-12 music supervisor and a school administrator, will give an overview the practical steps involved in establishing a new music course within a school district. We will explore the critical initial phase of course conception, from identifying a curricular need to defining specific learning objectives. Next, we will discuss the process of course development, including curriculum design, lesson planning, and material selection. We will emphasize the importance of aligning the course with relevant state and national standards, ensuring that it meets the diverse needs of all students. The presentation will also address the logistical considerations necessary for course implementation. This includes securing necessary approvals from district administrators and acquiring adequate resources and funding. We will share effective strategies for communicating the value of the new course to stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and community members. Finally, we will examine strategies for assessing student learning and evaluating the overall effectiveness of the new course. We will share our own journey of integrating an enhanced music elective into the Computer Science initiative of the SmithTech Lab School.
Empower your students to take the reins of their musical journey with student-led bands! In this engaging presentation, Stephen T. Cox shares real-world strategies for guiding students to organize, rehearse, and perform as independent ensembles. Drawing from his experience facilitating student-centered programs, Cox will outline practical steps for creating a secondary program around this concept, fostering leadership, collaboration, and creativity in young musicians. The session will explore actionable strategies for setting up rehearsal spaces, helping students organize their bands, and creating meaningful performance and feedback opportunities. Additionally, attendees will learn methods to address common challenges such as managing student conflicts and promoting the program within the school and community. This presentation provides a roadmap for cultivating ownership, accountability, and teamwork, equipping educators to inspire the next generation of musicians to lead with confidence.
Teaching the Pop classes at Toledo School For The Arts for the past 8 years has taught me a lot. In this presentation I'll run through what my year as a Pop Combo instructor looks like. We'll dive into the curriculum, end goals for students in the commercial music program, planning the our calendar, auditions, picking rep, and more. This is a brief look into how our program/classes run and hopefully helpful to anyone who may be teaching popular music already or looking to start their own program.
