All State Music

Two MSSM students represented the school at the 2026 All-State Conference, held May 14, 15, and 16 at the University of Maine in Orono. The event is hosted by the Maine Music Educators Association and brings together student musicians, music teachers, guest speakers, performers, and vendors from across the state.

Tailyn performed on alto saxophone, while Finn sang Tenor 2 in the SATB chorus. Both students took part in All-State rehearsals, working with other selected student musicians as they prepared for the conference performances.

The conference also gave music educators time to learn from one another and to attend professional development sessions. MSSM Music Instructor Brett Vanderlaan served as a stage manager during the event and attended several music-teacher workshops while students were rehearsing.

This year’s conference included more than 50 sessions, 15 contact hours, and opportunities for teachers to observe All-State rehearsals. Sessions covered band, orchestra, choir, jazz, general music, accessibility, advocacy, sound systems, and classroom tools. The keynote speaker was Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, with special guests Wayne Mallette, NAfME Eastern Division President, and Erin Zaffini, Arts Education Consultant.

The Maine Music Educators Association has a long history of supporting school music in Maine. Its roots go back to 1915, when music supervisors met in Portland and formed what became the Maine Music Supervisors Association. In 1917, music teachers met in Bangor and voted to collect annual dues, a moment often associated with the beginning of MMEA. The first Maine All-State Festival was held in 1953 in Augusta. Since then, the association has continued to support music teachers, student festivals, auditions, advocacy, and professional learning across the state.

For Tailyn and Finn, the conference was a chance to perform with strong student musicians from across Maine. For MSSM, it was also a reminder that the arts remain an important part of a complete high school experience, even at a school known for science, technology, engineering, and math.