Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) is the Kentucky state-level affiliate of The National Association for Music Education. KMEA consists of over 1,000 professional music educators at all levels from kindergarten to the university level. It serves as a voice for Kentucky's music educators, and it maintains an active involvement with groups such as the Kentucky Citizens for the Arts, The Kentucky Alliance for the Arts, and The Kentucky Coalition for the Arts.
Mission statement
"To advance the cause of music education throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky by encouraging the study and making of music by all of the population and by serving as a strong advocate for issues affecting the accomplishment of that mission."
Programs
- Choruses
Kentucky high school students are provided the opportunity to participate in "Kentucky All-State Choruses [SATB, SSAA, TTBB]." For elementary and middle school children, KMEA offers the Kentucky Children's Chorus for grades 5–6, and two Kentucky Junior High Choruses for grades 7–9: a treble chorus and a mixed chorus.
- Bands and orchestras
Kentucky high school students also are provided the opportunity to participate in All-State Bands [Concert, Symphonic, Jazz], and the All-State Symphony Orchestra or the Commonwealth String Orchestra, for which the students are chosen from a rigorous audition on their instruments.
- Marching band
See Kentucky State Marching Band Championships
- Assessments
KMEA provides opportunities for students to receive ratings for their performances as soloists or in small ensembles at district-level sites throughout the Commonwealth in what are called Solo and Ensemble Assessments. Qualified evaluators rate students performances, and they offers suggestions for improvement of their playing skills. For a student to participate in such event, his/her music teacher must be a member of the Kentucky Music Educators Association. Large Ensemble Assessment allow bands, orchestras and choral groups to play for evaluation at district-level sites. Bands or choirs receiving Distinguished (I) ratings may participate in the State Concert Band or State Choral Assessments held later in the spring of each year.