I recently returned from the annual show of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and what a show it was! It’s difficult to describe just how big the show is (75,000+ attendees) and the huge variety of clinics and exhibitors that are offered. Our January issue listed all the sessions just for music educators. Besides being an incredible professional development event, going from Colorado to Anaheim, California in January is a nice break from the cold and snow.
If you are mostly a reader of the print version of SBO+, I hope you’ve taken the time to visit us online at SBOplus.net or at SBOmagazine.com. Our online version lets us deliver lots of extras in our articles like video clips from the authors and hyperlinks to additional information. Over the next several months you will start to see changes in the look and feel of our print and digital magazine as well.
I want to tell you about some upcoming changes to some of our most popular programs. For 25 years, we have recognized music educators in our recently retitled “50 Music Teachers Who Make a Difference.” Our readers nominated fantastic music teachers and one from each state were selected and featured in our December issue. We got lots of feedback that it was awfully early in the school year for nominations, selections, and packets to be completed, not to mention that it was marching band season. Starting in 2026, this feature will run in April allowing lots more time to make nominations.
Our sister magazine, MMR (Musical Merchandise Review) Magazine [MMRmagazine.com] has a long running series called the “Dealers’ Choice Awards” where music dealers nominate various categories and then vote on annual winners. Starting this year, SBO+ will have a similar (but WAY better) contest called “Teachers’ Choice Awards.” Our readers will nominate music publishers, teaching methods, instrument lines for students, classroom technology, and many other categories and then vote on who the winners are. You’ll be able to start nominating in next month’s issue and YOUR voice will inform the music industry what you really need for your students.
Last week I spent several days teaching middle school band and am almost over the trauma! For the students at West Jefferson Middle School, I offer this as an apology.
