Conference Schedule

September 22 - 25, 2024 virtual via Zoom
September 27 - 29, 2024 live in Chicago (Award Ceremony, Keynote, Workshops and Songswaps recorded)

>> Download the conference program (pdf)

All times are Central Time.

Sunday September 22, 2024 online

6:00pm	Opening Ceremony
6:15pm	Virtual Round Robin

Monday September 23, 2024 online

5:00pm	Workshop: Modern Day Video and AI Production / Steve Elci
6:15pm	Workshop: Fostering Early Childhood Development through Music / Heather White Luckow and Marty Long
7:30pm	Workshop: YouTube and Spotify Analytics / Tina and Mark Harris

Tuesday September 24, 2024 online

5:00pm	Songswap: Songs for Social Justice / Miss Katie Sings
6:15pm	Workshop: More than the ABCs: Music as an Early Literacy Practice in the Library and Beyond / Evalyn Harper
7:30pm	Workshop: Crafting Engaging Content for Contemporary Children's Programming / Julio Petersen III (Mr. Pete's Playhouse)

Wednesday September 25, 2024 online

5:00pm	Workshop: Music Videos with Canva / Marsha Goodman-Wood
6:15pm	Workshop: Beginner's Guide to Film Festival Submission / Kelli Welli
7:30pm	Panel: Mental Health and Music / Jim Cosgrove, Julianne Hartley, Jeremy Rashad Brown, and Michael Romera

Thursday September 26, 2024

Travel Day -- no programming

Friday September 27, 2024

Special Day at Old Town School of Folk Music

8:00am	Breakfast at hotel
9:00am	Travel to Old Town School of Folk Music
9:30am	Coffee and gather at Old Town (Szold Hall)
10:00am	Welcome and Tour
11:00am	Workshop: Story & Song: There and Back Again / Shanta Nurullah
12:15pm	Lunch and Shop
1:00pm	Blues Performance with Wendy and DB
1:30pm	Break
1:45pm	Workshop: Harmonizing Voices: Folk Music, Hip-Hop, and Storytelling / SaulPaul
2:45pm	Return to hotel

Live Conference Open

4:00pm	Registration and Welcome
5:00pm	Newcomer’s Circle and Welcoming (all are welcome) - Salon EF
6:00pm	Dinner
7:15pm	Opening Ceremony - Salon C sponsored by Shure*
7:30pm	Magic Penny Award Ceremony, Melanie DeMore - Salon C sponsored by SaulPaul's Change Water*
9:00pm	Dance Party with DJ Willy Wow - Salon C
10:30pm	Late Night Jam Sessions - Salon C

Saturday September 28, 2024

8:00am	Breakfast
9:00am	Breakout Session One Workshop: How to Make Reels While Keeping It Real / Symon and Princess Hajjar - Salon C Workshop: Songs of Gratitude and Hope / Melanie DeMore - Salon EF Songswap: Global Songs and Culture in the Classroom / Jay Sand - Walden
10:15am	Break
10:30am	Breakout Session Two Workshop: Telling Our Story: Highlighting Diverse Stories and Counter-narratives through Hip Hop / Griot B - Salon C Workshop: How to Write a Funny Song (Bonk!) / Tara Trudel - Salon EF Songswap: Balls, Balloons, and Bubbles to the Beat! / Katie Todd - Walden
11:45am	Lunch
12:30pm	Annual Meeting (with dessert) - Salon C
1:15pm	Break
1:30pm	Keynote Presentation, Brandi Waller-Pace "What We Can Give Our Children" - Salon C sponsored by Chandrika Tandon: Love Light Laughter*
3:00pm	Break
3:15pm	Breakout Session Three Workshop: Creative Community Collaborations / Ceylon and Ashley Wise - Salon C Workshop: Interactivity & Collaboration to Create a Shared Experience / Cory Cullinan - Salon EF Panel: Songwriting / Liz Buchanan, Symon Hajjar, Gracie Nash, Mark Pagano, and Ann Torralba - Salon AB Songswap: Diverse Styles, Roots and Offshoots / John and Jo-Anne Keenan - Walden
4:30pm	Social Time (pool party, yoga, board games)
6:00pm	Dinner
7:00pm	Round Robin - Salon C sponsored by Silly Goose & Val*  and Old Town School of Folk Music*
11:00pm	Late Night Jams

Sunday September 29, 2024

8:00am	Breakfast
9:00am	Breakout Session Four Workshop: Empowering Community with STEMusic! / Roy Moye III - Salon EF sponsored by Songs for Teaching* Workshop: Musical Improv / Julie Be and Miles Crabtree (Ants On a Log) - Salon AB Songswap: The Ultimate Baby and Toddler Mix / Lavender Blues - Walden
10:15am	Hotel Check Out (room provided for luggage and instrument storage)
10:30am	PIO! Scholar and Helper Award Presentations - Salon C
11:00am	Closing Music Performance by Guitars over Guns plus Q and A - Salon C sponsored by Shure*
12noon	Lunch
12:45pm	Break
1:00pm	Closing Circle