Performance at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic

The Staples Motley High School Music Department takes a bow after performing at the MMEA (Minnesota Music Educators Association) Midwinter Clinic Feb. 11, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Staples Motley music groups auditioned as a department and were invited to perform. This was only the third time in 20 years that all three music groups from one school were asked to present at the clinic and the first time for a music department from a small town. Taking the stage in Ballroom A at the Convention Center were the SMHS Symphonic Band, A Cappella Choir, and Chamber Orchestra. The directors and other music instructors (pictured on the riser) include, from left, Steve Hoemberg (back to camera), choir director; Sandy Paskewitz, choir accompanist; Cindy Koopmann, orchestra accompanist; Jeff Iverson, band director; John Koopmann, orchestra director; Jeff Menten, adjunct string lessons. The three-day convention was attended by hundreds of music educators and musicians, many of whom attended the concert, along with several parents, SMHS music alumni, SMHS staff and school board members and others from the community. In addition, band director Jeff Iverson was recognized the next day at the clinic for being named MMEA’s ‘Educator of the Year’ for 2016. See more photos on pages 11a and 12a.