Step by Step with some Skips Along the Way

On this episode of Step by Step (with some Skips Along the Way)...Gabriel Gray (MGMTA President) gets to speak with Mr. Doug Conrad, Band Director of Urbana High School (Frederick County, MD) and the MMEA Advocacy Chair. Doug and Gabe discuss the importance of Music in Our Schools Month, celebrated every March throughout the country, and how you can incorporate its history into your classroom.

On this Winter-fied episode of Step by Step...Gabe and Jess discuss the chaos and craziness that is...Winter Concert season! Gabe and Jess both reflect on their previous Winter concerts before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Jess shares her experience on being a "new" teacher and the challenges that come with putting together a performance when you are a new music teacher. Gabe also shares the importance of staying rested throughout the Concert season, as well as the importance of repertoire in a Winter Concert performance.

In this episode, Gabe and Jess sit down with the new elected President-Elect of the Maryland Music Educators Association, Ms. Chan’nel Howard. A proud Fine Arts Supervisor of Baltimore City Public Schools, Chan’nel shares her thoughts on the recently past Fall In Service Conference, her experiences with MMEA as an educator, and her insight on the importance of attending conferences and professional development events hosted by your local Music Education Association.Want to sign up for MMEA Annual Conference? Register now at mdmea.org!

Have you ever known what it's like to be an executive director of a non-profit organization, such as MDMEA?In this episode, Gabe and Jess sit down with Anthony "Tony" Conto, the Executive Director of the Maryland Music Educators Association. Tony is a former music educator and administrator based in Maryland, and brings lots of knowledge and experience into his role as the MDMEA Executive Director. Want to attend our Fall In-Service Conference? Head over to mdmea.org to register and find more information about location and sessions!

Make way for Season 4 of Step by Step (with some Skips Along the Way)! As we approach the Back to School season, Jess starts off our season by speaking with Ms. Amy Hairston, President of the Maryland Music Educators Association. Want to register or be involved with MDMEA's conferences in the Fall and Spring? Head on over to the MDMEA Conferences page at mdmea.org!

In this episode, we had a chat with 'Immediate Past-President of MMEA, Jen Kauffman, and her experiences over the 10 years of involvement in the Maryland Music Educators Association. Gabe and Jess thank you for an incredible season and look forward to another season coming up in September!

In this episode, Gabe and Jess discuss their experiences with the 2025 Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA) Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland and how conferences can better perfect your craft as a music educator.

Gabe and Jess welcome in their first special guest of the new season, Mr. Richard McCready! Richard McCready is a Music Technology, Piano, and Guitar teacher based in Howard County, Maryland and is the Chairman of the Young Composers Project for the Maryland Music Educators Association. Gabe, Jess, and Richard discuss how you can incorporate creativity in your elementary or secondary music classroom and also the Young Composers Project, currently open to all Maryland students for submissions through February 28th!

Listen in on this sneak peek of episode 3, featuring special guest Richard McCready of Howard County, Maryland! Gabe, Jess, and Richard discuss on how you can incorporate creativity in your elementary or secondary music classroom. Be sure to hear the full episode on Friday, January 31st!

In this episode, Gabe and Jess discuss one of the busiest seasons for a music educator: Winter Concert season! Gabe and Jess talk about their recent performance experiences, including Gabe's first guest conducting gig, and some of the twists and turns that come with it. They also discuss what do they do to help keep themselves physically and mentally well to keep up with the holiday season.We also may or may not have had an unexpected guest come in the middle of our episode. Just listen and see!

This episode features the new President and President-Elect of the Maryland General Music Teachers Association, Mr. Gabe Gray and Ms. Jess Windsor.Gabe and Jess talk about the importance of self awareness in mental health when starting a new school year through personal experiences and speaking to other music educators.