Elementary All-Star Choir

For the third year at MMEA Midwinter Convention, the board is thrilled to present:

2026 MMEA Elementary All-Star Choir (Grades 4-5 in an elementary setting) 

Join us in celebrating elementary voices on Saturday, April 11, 2026!

Conductor: Dr. Bret Amundson

MMEA is excited to support elementary programs state-wide with the opportunity to experience esteemed music educator Dr. Bret Amundson! The Elementary All-Star Choir was created to provide elementary music students throughout Minnesota with a learning and performance opportunity at the annual Midwinter Convention. The Elementary All-Star choir is non-auditioned, with an emphasis on a musically diverse experience that is inclusive, engaging, accessible, and fun.

Program Overview

The Elementary All-Star Choir event has been RESCHEDULED!

Thank you all for your patience! We’re excited to share that we have an update on the 2026 Elementary All-Star Choir event. The event has been rescheduled for Saturday April 11th, 2026. The time frame will be the same: Check in from 11-11:30AM, with the concert starting at 3:30. Please refer to more information below.

The current location we have secured for the event is Tartan High School (828 Greenway Ave N, Oakdale, MN 55128) but that location is subject to change. We are looking for a venue with a larger auditorium seating capacity, in order to accommodate our audience!

Please note that with the rescheduling of the event, MMEA is no longer able to provide T-Shirts or snacks for students. We ask that students bring their own snacks that cater to their individual dietary needs.

Additional Information – please keep checking back for updates!

Educators are required to be present at student check in and check out with their students on Saturday April 11th. Check in is between 11AM-11:30AM. Parents are not allowed to sit in on rehearsals with the students. MMEA volunteers will be chaperones for the event and ALL have background checks for the safety of students.

Students will not be provided snacks during the event – we request that students bring their own snacks that cater to their individual dietary needs.

Student dress code: We recommend jeans, pants, or leggings under skirts as students will be moving a lot and be on the floor some also. We do not wish for any families to purchase special clothing for the event, but should you have clothing that represents the student’s community with pride, feel free to incorporate that. Students will NOT be provided T shirts at the event. 

The Elementary All-Star Choir Concert location is currently Tartan High School (828 Greenway Ave N, Oakdale, MN 55128), but this location is subject to change. We are looking for a venue with a larger auditorium for our audience! The concert is FREE and open to the public. Donations are always welcome to support our future programming, and can be made at https://minnesota-music-educators-association.square.site/

Monday, January 26, 2026. A note from the Board of Directors:

After many hours of discussion by the Executive Board and MMEA Board of Directors, the decision has been made to cancel the in-person 2026 Midwinter Convention and MMEA’s associated in-person student events in Minneapolis. MMEA cannot uphold its mission to develop, promote, and support equitable and comprehensive music learning and teaching when the health and safety of many in our communities are at risk. Please click the LINK for a message from MMEA’s Board President, Dr. Christopher Rochester.  

Please know that this decision was very difficult. The safety of our students, presenters, performers, teachers, and exhibitors must be our first priority despite the large financial strain that will be put on the organization. MMEA is contractually obligated to all of the service contracts the MWC requires including the Hilton, Minneapolis Convention Center, Orchestra Hall, Dakota, and equipment rentals that make the in-person experience special. 

MMEA believes that music is core to the human experience and in order to support our Minnesota communities, we are diligently working on a way to create an online format to host sessions and performances as well as exhibitors and sponsors. We will miss being together in person, but we still want to offer the opportunity for Minnesota’s dedicated music educators and students to be able to connect with the wider community.

Please know that there will be a lot of replanning happening in the coming week to assess exactly what MMEA can offer digitally, and how to best offer refunds for those that have already invested in registration for convention and other student programming. We ask that you please hold your questions regarding refunds for now, as our capacity to respond to emails right now is limited. We will have an avenue to refunds available soon. 

Please stay tuned as we continue to work on ways to connect with our music community!

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding through this process. We will send further communication about an online event and refunds soon. We hope to see you there!

All the best,

MMEA Board of Directors and Staff

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Nomination Information

Submission Criteria for Music Educators:

• Commit to work with your nominated singers so that they are fully prepared before arriving for the event. Scores will be provided by Dec 1. 
• Maintain current MMEA membership BOTH at time of nomination AND Midwinter Convention. Your membership number is needed to submit student nominations. Membership can be renewed at nafme.org
• Be present at the convention center for the event. Once your singers are checked in for the day, you will be free to attend other ongoing sessions if you have registered for the Midwinter Convention and return for the concert, or you are welcome to sit in on rehearsals. If you want to volunteer for the event, you must be background checked. Email jbongaarts@mmea.org for more information.
• Arrange transportation for students to and from the Convention, whether it is school provided or parent provided.

Criteria for Student Nomination:

Please select up to SEVEN (7) students per school who:

• are in grades 4 or 5 within an elementary school setting (MMEA no longer accepts students in 6th grade into the Elementary All-Star Choir)
• sing in tune 
• have the ability to hold a part in 2 or 3 part TREBLE material
• are serious about a fun, rewarding day of rich music-making

Registration:

• Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first 200 students will be accepted, and MMEA will contact sponsoring teachers on the waiting list if vacancies arise. Please nominate only seven (7) students per school no matter how many teachers are qualified to be sponsoring teachers.
• MMEA is committed to offering this opportunity to every student regardless of ability to contribute money toward the full cost of the program. Please help us sustain this program by paying what you can. The cost of the program to MMEA is $80 per student. If $80 is not possible, MMEA is offering partial or full fee waivers, and will be granted with no questions asked. Please do not let the ability to pay the full fee impact your nominations – BRING YOUR KIDS and we can make it happen! We appreciate the generous support from our sponsors (University of St Thomas) that helps make this program possible.
• The Google registration form must be completed and individual student registration forms (with parent permission) must be uploaded.

Important Dates:

October 1, 2025: Nomination Portal Opens! Register EARLY!

November 15, 2025:  Portal closes or when cap is reached

As of 10/31/25, we hit the student cap for the 2026 Elementary All-Star Choir! We are SO excited to have so many students and educators excited about this program. Thank you to everyone for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you in February! Please email Jordan Bongaarts at jbongaarts@mmea.org or info@mmea.org with any questions.

What happens after I submit my nomination?

After you submit your student nominations, MMEA staff will review the information and confirm your NAFME membership. After the review is complete, you will receive an email from staff confirming your registration, and an invoice will follow shortly via email. Staff will make every effort to reach out within a week of your submission. 

Nomination Support: Jordan Bongaarts, Program Coordinator jbongaarts@mmea.org

General Information: info@mmea.org

Program Questions: Michael Bjork, Elementary VP mbjork@mmea.org