Accelerate
A 2-Day Intensive for Classroom Music Educators
Intentionally Online for Maximum Accessibility | July 29-30, 2026
You already know how this usually goes.
You sign up for a conference.
You sit in on a few sessions—but mostly, you're there for the hallway conversations.
You jot down notes you swear you’ll come back to.
You leave energized. Inspired. Ready to try something new.
And then…
The school year starts.
Schedules fill. Rehearsals pile up. Reality takes over.
And those notes?
They stay exactly where they are.
Because the truth is—
a few great ideas aren’t the problem.
It’s turning them into something you can actually use in your classroom.
Music educators don’t need more inspiration.
They need support that fits the complexity of what they do—every single day.
That’s exactly why we built Accelerate.
What Is Accelerate?
Accelerate is what happens when professional development finally works for the reality of your classroom.
Not another event where you leave with ideas you can’t implement.
Not another list of strategies that fall apart by October.
This is where things start to change.
Where classroom management feels more predictable.
Where your rehearsals run with more clarity and less chaos.
Where you stop staying hours late just trying to keep up.
Where you feel more in control—and a lot less burned out.
Accelerate is a two-day, depth-driven professional learning experience built specifically for music educators who are carrying all of it.
And instead of rushing through surface-level ideas, we go deep—so you can actually use what you learn.
Inside Accelerate, you’ll experience:
Extended, focused workshops (3–6 hours) so you can fully understand and apply what works
Practical strategies you can use immediately—no guesswork, no translation needed
Guidance from experienced professional trainers who understand your reality
A global community of educators navigating the same challenges you are
Plus, you won’t lose momentum after it ends.
Guild Members get full access for an entire year.
Non-members get 14 days to revisit and implement what matters most.
Because this isn’t about leaving inspired.
It’s about walking back into your classroom with a plan—
and the confidence to actually follow through.
How Accelerate Is Different
Most professional learning sounds good in the moment—
but falls apart when you try to use it in a real classroom.
Accelerate was built a little differently.
Every part of the experience is designed around one outcome:
helping you actually implement what works—without adding more stress to your plate.
Here’s how that shows up:
You don’t just learn what to do—you practice doing it.
Our four-stage model (Explanation → Demonstration → Live Implementation → Targeted Feedback) means you leave knowing how to apply strategies—not just hoping you remember them later.You get solutions to the problems you’re actually facing.
Every workshop is built from real input from hundreds of music educators—so you’re not wasting time on trends that don’t translate to your classroom.You stay engaged—and it actually sticks.
Our facilitators are trained specifically for interactive online teaching, so you’re not passively watching—you’re participating, applying, and retaining.You don’t lose momentum after the event ends.
With extended on-demand access, you can revisit sessions, refine your approach, and implement at your own pace—so real change happens over time, not just in two days.
Because the goal isn’t to give you more to think about.
It’s to help you:
spend less time figuring things out on your own
feel more confident managing your classroom
reduce overwhelm without lowering your standards
and finally see progress that lasts beyond a single workshop
We’ve seen this model work in organizations like Music Will—
and we’re building on it to make that level of support more accessible, more flexible, and more sustainable for everyday educators.
How Learning Actually Happens at Accelerate
Accelerate is designed so what you learn doesn’t stay theoretical—it becomes something you can actually use.
Every session follows a clear, practical learning flow that helps you move from understanding… to implementation… to confidence.
Here’s how that experience unfolds:
You gain clarity on what works—and why.
Concepts are introduced with real classroom context, so you can immediately see how they fit into your teaching.You see exactly what it looks like in action.
Strategies are modeled live, giving you a concrete picture of how they sound, feel, and function with students.You practice while you’re learning.
You don’t have to wait until later to try things out. You begin applying ideas during the session—so they’re already familiar when you bring them into your classroom.You refine your approach with guidance.
You receive feedback as you go, helping you adjust in real time and move forward with clarity instead of second-guessing.
By the end, you’re not just walking away with new ideas.
You’re walking away with:
strategies you’ve already started using
approaches you understand well enough to adapt
and a clearer sense of what’s actually going to work with your students
Because meaningful progress doesn’t come from just learning something new.
It comes from being able to use it—confidently, consistently, and in the moments that matter most.
Quality Instruction, Real Impact.
Quality Instruction, Real Impact.
This isn’t just an event.
It’s a movement.
Be Part of the First
This is the first Music Teacher Guild Conference.
That matters—more than you might think.
Because being in the room this year doesn’t just mean you attended.
It means you helped define what this becomes.
As an inaugural attendee, you’re not just participating—you’re shaping:
the standard for what meaningful professional learning looks like
the culture and energy future educators will step into
what this community values, prioritizes, and builds toward
And if you choose to become a Guild member, that role goes even further.
You’re recognized as a founding member—
someone who didn’t just join… but helped build.
For many educators, that represents something deeper:
being seen as a leader—not just in your classroom, but in your field
contributing to something that extends beyond your own program
having a voice in shaping the future of music education—not just reacting to it
You already bring something unique into your classroom every day.
This is a chance to bring that same voice into a space that’s being built from the ground up.
To not just attend something new—
but to help create something that actually reflects the educators inside it.
International Access. Universal Application.
International Access. Real-World Application.
Where you teach shouldn’t determine the quality of support you receive.
Accelerate brings together music educators from across the world—
different systems, different settings, different challenges…
But a shared goal:
to make their classrooms work better.
You’ll be learning alongside educators from 15+ countries—
from public schools, private studios, community programs, and higher education.
Which means you’re not just getting one perspective.
You’re gaining ideas that have been tested, adapted, and proven across a wide range of real-world teaching environments.
And just as important—this experience is designed to fit into your life.
If you can’t attend everything live, you won’t fall behind.
You’ll have time and space to:
revisit sessions when your schedule allows
implement ideas at your own pace
come back to what matters most when you’re ready
Non-members receive extended access after the event.
Guild Members get a full year—so growth doesn’t stop when the conference ends.
Because meaningful change doesn’t happen all at once.
It happens when you have the flexibility to:
try something new without pressure
adjust based on what works for your students
and keep building, even during the busiest parts of your year
No matter where you teach—
you deserve professional learning that actually fits your reality.
Accelerate Event Schedule
Each workshop was selected based on actual research data and direct input from hundreds of classroom music educators about the challenges they face—not trends or what's easy to schedule.
This ensures there's at least one high-octane workshop for every classroom music educator, regardless of how long you've been teaching or which music subjects fill your schedule this year.
Two days, built carefully
Twelve workshops. One opening plenary. Multi-day sessions designed to actually go deep — and a Day 2 morning that wraps everything up before the next round of single-day workshops begins.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Building Resilience
A grounding, energizing kickoff. Set the tone, meet your people, and start building the muscle that gets you through the rest of the year.
Concurrent Workshops · Part 1 of 2
Choose one to attend live. These multi-day sessions wrap up Thursday morning.
Classroom Management for Ensembles
"Managing 50+ Students Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Voice)"
Practical procedures, transitions, and de-escalation strategies built to reclaim up to 120 hours of instructional time a year.
Music Program Finances
"Don't Screw Up the Money (And Other Career-Saving Advice)"
Budgets, inventory, fundraising, and fiduciary best practices that keep your program — and your career — safe.
Lifestyle Management for Career Longevity
"Still Teaching (And Still Loving It) at Year 25"
An honest self-assessment plus a three-year roadmap for building a career you can sustain — not just survive.
Mastering Communication
"Emails That Get Read, Conversations That Don't Backfire"
Email templates, hard-conversation scripts, and advocacy language that actually lands with parents and admin.
Differentiated Instruction for Ensembles
"Teaching the Prodigy and the Struggler in the Same Rehearsal"
Diagnostic tools, part-writing strategies, and rehearsal techniques for mixed-ability groups — so you reach every musician.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
How to Get the Most Out of Day 2
A short reset to set the tone for Day 2 and help you make the most of the sessions ahead.
Concurrent Workshops · Conclusions
The wrap-up portion of yesterday's multi-day sessions. Attend the conclusion of whichever one you joined on Day 1.
Classroom Management for Ensembles
"Conclusion"
Final strategies, accommodation checklists, and your personal action plan for implementing three new strategies this fall.
Music Program Finances
"Conclusion"
Bringing it home: your budget template, inventory tracking system, and fundraising plan ready to deploy.
Lifestyle Management for Career Longevity
"Conclusion"
Locking in your three-year plan, your feedback-seeking habits, and the practices you'll actually keep up.
Mastering Communication
"Conclusion"
Final scripts, your communication toolkit, and applied practice on a difficult conversation you're sitting on right now.
Differentiated Instruction for Ensembles
"Conclusion"
Putting the pieces together: peer mentoring structures, IEP/504 accommodation strategies, and a differentiation action plan.
Day 2 Workshops · Single-day sessions
Six full workshops running in parallel. Pick the one that meets you where you are. (Some run to 12:45 PM; others to 1:45 PM — see each session.)
Elementary Music Classroom Management
"Herding Cats Who Also Have Recorders"
Age-appropriate procedures, attention signals that actually work, and strategies for managing 25 wiggly bodies at once.
Student Engagement for the TikTok Era
"Competing with a 90-Second Attention Span (And Winning)"
Attention-capture techniques, micro-goal structures, and gamification that builds buy-in without trivializing the learning.
Time & Logistics for Secondary Educators
"Running a Program Without Running Yourself Into the Ground"
Calendar systems, performance logistics checklists, and trip planning workflows that cut admin time in half.
Tech Tools & AI for Program Administration
"Let the Robots Handle the Paperwork"
A curated tech toolkit, AI prompt templates, and workflows that automate the tedious admin stuff so you can teach more.
Work-Life Balance & Personal Development
"Boundaries That Stick (Even During Marching Season)"
Boundary-setting scripts, burnout warning signs, and stress management techniques that hold up under pressure.
Beyond Band & Orchestra
"From Steel Drums to Stomp Boxes: A Speed-Dating Tour of Ensembles You'll Actually Want to Call Back"
A tasting menu of non-traditional ensembles — mariachi, steel pan, modern band, ukulele — with feasibility plans for piloting one.
Networking & Q&A
A casual close to two days of deep work. Bring your questions, share what you're taking with you, and meet your people.
Multi-day sessions. The five workshops on Day 1 morning continue Thursday morning to wrap up — same facilitator, same group. Plan to attend both portions of whichever one you choose.
Replays are released within 24 hours of each session. Members get 365 days of access; non-members get 7.
Choose Your Registration
Two days of practical professional development for music educators — July 29–30, 2026, online.
- All 12 workshop sessions
- Opening Plenary & addresses
- Session recordings
- Digital resource library
- All 12 workshop sessions
- Opening Plenary & addresses
- Session recordings
- Networking with educators
- All 12 workshop sessions
- Opening Plenary & addresses
- Session recordings
- Career-building content
- All 12 workshop sessions
- Opening Plenary & addresses
- Session recordings
- Stay connected to the field
- Full Accelerate 2026 access
- 1 year MTG membership
- Member-only resources
- Ongoing community access
- Full Accelerate 2026 access
- 1 year MTG membership
- Career-building network
- Student member resources
- Full Accelerate 2026 access
- 1 year MTG membership
- Stay engaged with the field
- Community connection
Registration & Refunds
Registration fees are payable at the time of enrollment. Refund requests submitted in writing at least 14 days before the event (on or before July 15, 2026) will receive a full refund less a $10 processing fee. Requests submitted between 14 days and 48 hours before the event will receive a 50% refund or full credit toward a future MTG event. No refunds will be issued within 48 hours of the event start or after the event has begun. All refund requests should be sent to info@musicteacherguild.org.
Membership Auto-Renewal
If you select an Event + Membership option, your annual MTG membership will automatically renew each year on the anniversary of your registration at the renewal rate displayed at checkout (e.g., $67/year for Full-Time Educators, $19/year for Students, $1/year for Retired/Advocates). The card on file will be charged automatically unless your membership is cancelled before the renewal date. Membership rates are subject to change with at least 30 days' advance notice to active members.
Cancelling Your Membership
You may cancel your membership at any time by emailing info@musicteacherguild.org or by managing your account at musicteacherguild.thinkific.com. To avoid being charged for the next annual renewal, please cancel at least 7 days before your renewal date. Cancellations take effect at the end of the current paid membership period — you will continue to receive member benefits through that date. Membership renewal charges, once processed, are non-refundable.
Transfers & Substitutions
Registrations may be transferred to another individual at no charge with at least 72 hours' notice. The substitute attendee must qualify for the same registration tier (e.g., a student registration cannot be transferred to a corporate attendee). Contact info@musicteacherguild.org to arrange a transfer.
Recordings & Materials
Workshop sessions will be recorded and made available to registered attendees for on-demand viewing for a minimum of 90 days following the event. All conference content, including recordings, slide decks, and supporting materials, remains the intellectual property of the Music Teacher Guild and the respective facilitators. Attendees may use materials for their personal professional development but may not redistribute, resell, or publicly post conference content without written permission.
Code of Conduct
All attendees, facilitators, and sponsors are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully throughout the event. MTG reserves the right to remove any participant whose conduct disrupts the event or violates community standards, without refund.
Program Changes
MTG reserves the right to modify the program, substitute facilitators, or adjust session times as needed. In the unlikely event the conference is cancelled by MTG, registered attendees will receive a full refund of registration fees. MTG is not responsible for costs incurred outside of registration (e.g., personal time, equipment, internet access).
Privacy
Registration information is used solely to deliver the event and communicate with attendees about MTG programs. We do not sell or share attendee data with third parties. View our full privacy policy at musicteacherguild.org.
Questions
For any questions about registration, membership, or these terms, please contact info@musicteacherguild.org.
You Probably Have Questions. Here are answers.
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Accelerate is scheduled for July 29–30, 2026. Sessions run from about 8am-4pm US-Pacific Time.
Since we serve educators globally, we're mindful of time zone differences. Full details about scheduling and any replay options will be available when registration opens.
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Accelerate uses a four-stage instructional model: explanation, demonstration, live implementation, and targeted feedback. Rather than passive viewing, you'll actually practice strategies during the workshop with real-time guidance. Sessions are 4–6 hours (not 50-minute overviews) and designed by educators with deep instructional design experience—not conference production companies.
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Absolutely. You will be able to access any workshop while it’s live, and as a Music Teacher Guild member, you’ll have 365 days after the conference to access the recordings. Pricing and workshop availability will be detailed at registration.
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Music Teacher Guild Members will have full on-demand access to all workshop recordings for one full year after the event concludes. This gives you time to revisit content, implement strategies, and apply what you learned without rushing.
Non-member registrants will have one week to access all of the recorded sessions.
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Each workshop is 4–6 hours. The exact length varies by topic and includes breaks. You can anticipate a full workshop taking most of a day, with built-in pauses for implementation practice.
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You'll need a stable internet connection, a device (computer recommended for full interaction), and comfort using basic video conferencing features: video, audio, chat, and screen sharing.
No prior experience with the specific workshop topic is required—workshops are designed for educators at different skill levels who want to go deeper.
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Pricing will be announced when registration opens. We're committed to making quality professional learning accessible, and we'll offer multiple pricing options.
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Accelerate is designed for classroom music educators who want deeper engagement with specific topics. Whether you're early-career, mid-career, or experienced, if you're looking for professional learning that respects your expertise and provides practical application, this is for you.
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Your registration includes:
Live access to your selected workshop(s)
Full on-demand access to recordings for one year for members (limited access for non-members)
Workshop materials and resources
Access to the Music Teacher Guild community
Additional options (like group rates or member discounts) will be available at registration.
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While CEU approval ultimately depends on state and district requirements, we will provide a completion certificate that includes estimated instructional hours and module descriptions. This documentation is designed to support your Continuing Education Unit submission process.
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Yes. Many educators may attend together - we encourage it! If you're interested in group registration discounts or coordinating with colleagues, let us know at hello@musicteacherguild.org—we can discuss options.
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Accelerate is designed for classroom music educators, but if your role involves teaching classroom music in any context (school-based, charter, international school, etc.), you're welcome to register.
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Technical support will be available throughout the event. If you experience issues, contact hello@musicteacherguild.org and we'll help you get reconnected or provide alternative access.
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Yes. Workshops are designed for active participation. You'll have opportunities to ask questions, share challenges, and engage with instructors and peers. The chat, Q&A features, and breakout discussion spaces are all built into the experience.
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Yes. Full refund details will be included with your registration confirmation.