The Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) held its 88th annual in-service, workshop, and conference from January 26-31, 2026, at Tan-Tar-A Conference Center in Osage Beach, Missouri. Music educators from throughout the state came together for six days of professional development, collaboration, networking, content-specific interest sessions, music reading sessions, and musical performances by auditioned bands, choirs, and orchestras representing all levels of music education from elementary school to collegiate level, as well as professional and community music ensembles.
The theme of the 2026 conference was “Harmonizing the Future. No Roads Needed. Just Music.” The grand finale of the conference was the performances by the Missouri All-State Ensembles. Four MICDS musicians were selected by audition last fall to perform in the 2026 All-State ensembles: Lucas Cheng ’27 – All-State Orchestra (cello), Anna Ko ’28 – All-State Orchestra (viola), Reina Banerjee ’27 – All-State Choir (soprano), and Forest Gong ’27 – All-State Band (clarinet).
The Missouri All-State Orchestra was directed by Sharon Lavery, the Resident Conductor of the Thornton Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble at the USC Thornton School of Music, and music director of the Downey Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble hailed as one of the best metropolitan orchestras in Southern California.
Cheng shared, “I had an amazing time at All-State. Between making new friends and getting to play such fun music, the whole week felt special. The schedule was intense—sectionals at 7 a.m. and rehearsals that ended near midnight—but we still found time to hang out, explore the resort, and just enjoy being together. Getting to perform with some of the best high school musicians in Missouri was a huge honor and an experience I won’t forget. What I will remember the most is how quickly music can turn strangers into a team. I’m going to remember the laughs between rehearsals, the focus during them, and the feeling of being surrounded by people who love music just as much as I do.”
Ko shared, “My favorite piece was Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol. It was a joy to play because of the varied movements and the incredible solos. What made it extra special was being roommates with our concertmaster; I saw her dedication and nerves during her private practice, so watching her shine during her solo in the final performance was a huge highlight for me. An important lesson I learned was how to manage time and build meaningful relationships in a high-pressure, short-term environment. Navigating a shared hotel room with four people—balancing different practice schedules, mealtimes, and rest—taught me how to adapt when I’m not in full control of my space. It was a fundamental lesson in collaboration that I’ll take with me everywhere.”
The 192-voice Missouri All-State Choir was directed by Dr. Edith Copley, a regents’ professor emerita at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, and director of the Master Chorale of Flagstaff, an auditioned 100-voice community chorus for 23 years. Dr. Copley is currently the National President of the American Choral Directors Association.
Banerjee shared, “The first time I heard the choir sing, I was shocked because I could not have expected our very first rehearsal to sound so balanced and refined, and I was excited to see how our voices could add dynamics with the help of our conductor. This was the best performance I have ever been a part of, both musically and emotionally. One thing that I learned from the conductor that I will carry with me forever is that every note and syllable should sound different in a song. This was something that I had never thought of and was slightly confused at first, but I learned that the best songs are ones where dynamics tell the story, sometimes even more than the notes or lyrics.”
The Missouri All-State Band was directed by Dr. Travis J. Cross, Professor of Music, Director of Bands, and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Forest was selected to the Missouri All-State Band in 2025 and 2026. He shared, “Our conductor was funny and cracked a lot of jokes during rehearsals, but we obviously spent most of the time working on our music. The music was also both challenging and fun to play; I really enjoyed playing a piece called Havana Nights: Fuego de la Noche by Randall D. Standridge. The band performed the world premiere of this piece which was commissioned for the 2026 Missouri All-State Band. Even though I performed with the All-State Band last year, this year’s experience was no less rewarding and gave me an opportunity to both meet a lot of new people and play interesting music. Hearing the All-State Band perform for the first time was an extremely gratifying experience, as it represented both an opportunity to play music with some of the best musicians in the State, as well as the culmination of the hard work all the musicians have put in. “
Dana Self, MICDS Upper School Choir Director, said, “These four extraordinary musicians were outstanding representatives of the MICDS community, not only while at Tan-Tar-A for the conference and performances, but throughout the highly competitive audition process that ultimately lands them a highly coveted spot in an all-state ensemble. The entire MICDS music faculty is so proud of their accomplishments and for the outstanding work, leadership, and musicianship that they bring into our classrooms each day.”
Reina Banerjee sings in the Upper School Chamber Choir, directed by Dana Self. Forest Gong plays in the Upper School Wind Ensemble, directed by Bernard Berry. Lucas Cheng and Anna Ko play in the Upper School Virtuosi Orchestra, directed by Ken Kulosa.