Featured Clinicians

Steven D. Davis serves as the Rose Ann Carr Millsap Missouri Distinguished Professor of Music at the UMKC Conservatory. His deep commitment to music education has led to invitations to conduct numerous All-State bands and orchestras, including four invitations to conduct the Texas All-State ensembles. Davis has also received international invitations to conduct at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall in London, as well as prominent venues in Bangkok, Beijing, Lisbon, Sydney, Dublin, Vienna, and Salzburg.

For nearly two decades, Davis has been the conductor of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City and the UMKC Conservatory Wind Symphony. He is proudly committed to diversity and regularly participates in commissioning works from established and emerging composers while also collaborating with dancers, choreographers, theater actors, soloists, visual artists, costumers, and lighting designers.

He has been recognized with numerous awards, and both scholarships and buildings have been named in his honor. Additionally, he is a member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. At the Interlochen Center for the Arts, Davis leads the band program at the summer arts camp, where his compelling approach continues to inspire the next generation of musicians.

Dr. LaSaundra Belcher is a respected conductor, educator, and arts leader with over 20 years of experience in public schools, higher education, and community music programs. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra in North Carolina, where she leads initiatives that expand access to high-quality music instruction for students from rural and under-resourced communities.

Dr. Belcher is a sought-after guest conductor and clinician for All-State and Honors Orchestras across the country, with recent engagements in Montana, Georgia, California, Minnesota, Nevada, and North Carolina. She is also a featured speaker at major music education conferences, including the Texas Music Educators Association, Michigan Music Conference, and NAfME’s Pacific Northwest Conference. In 2026, she will serve as an adjudicator for the American String Teachers Association’s National Orchestra Festival.

In addition to her national presentations, she provides professional development for music educators, equipping teachers with practical strategies to foster student success, increase engagement, and strengthen music programs. Dr. Belcher teaches at Shenandoah University, where she equips aspiring arts entrepreneurs with the tools to build successful, sustainable businesses. Her work reflects a deep commitment to inspiring joy through music, fostering student growth, and empowering educators to create uplifting, engaging learning experiences for all students.

Dr. Anthony Trecek-King is a renowned choral conductor, scholar, and media personality with over 20 years of experience. Currently, he serves as a Resident Conductor with the Handel and Haydn Society and Artistic Director of Berkshire Choral International. Known for his dynamic performances and collaborative style, he has worked with numerous prestigious artists and ensembles, conducting in world-class venues such as Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House. Dr. Trecek-King’s projects have garnered awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy. He holds degrees in cello performance, orchestral conducting, and choral conducting, and has appeared on radio and television programs. He resides in Boston with his partner Melanie and their cat.

As a first-generation Filipino-American and military child, Melissa Fuller Flores grew up showcasing Filipino folk dances on Air Force bases. The foundations of how to move to music primed her for a Bachelor’s in Music Education at the University of Alabama, and a Master’s in Clarinet Performance at the University of North Texas. Her career began at the Houston Symphony, where she coordinated concert logistics for over 120,000 students, witnessing the transformative power of music in fostering community and belonging. This experience inspired her to transition into the classroom to be closer to the transformative power of music education.

Melissa’s teaching journey spans a wide age range, from infancy to elementary grades and even college students across Alabama, Texas, Iowa, and Missouri. She is a dedicated mentor to pre-service and new teachers and a fierce advocate for students of all backgrounds and ages, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and celebrated in and outside of the music classroom.

As a dynamic presenter, Melissa leads workshops nationwide, fueled by her belief that music is a source of peace, empowerment, and transformation. You can find more resources and ideas from her on Instagram at MelodiesAndMoves, where she is committed to empowering educators to create supportive, inclusive environments where every learner can thrive.

David Row loves teaching music to kids! A Nebraska native and Midwesterner at heart, David now lives and teaches in the Kansas City metro area for the DeSoto Unified School District. He holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, Orff Schulwerk certification, and has extensive experience with critical thinking in the arts. David is an active clinician and has presented workshops at national, state, and local conventions across the United States and Canada. He is an AOSA-approved Orff Schulwerk teacher educator and teaches Pedagogy Levels I & 2 each summer in Orlando and St. Louis. On his blog, MakeMomentsMatter.org, and through his podcast, David shares ideas about classroom content, management, lesson plans, critical thinking, and more. Catch up with David every week on his “Musical Mondays” LIVE videos on Facebook.

Stephanie Leavell is a board-certified music therapist, children’s musician, and founder of Music for Kiddos, an online education company that provides high-quality music resources and continuing education for music therapists, educators, and parents. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Stephanie specializes in creating engaging, developmentally appropriate songs for kids—especially those that support sensory regulation, social-emotional learning, and early literacy.

Called one of the most exciting and exhilarating voices in music education today, Peter Loel Boonshaft has been invited to speak and conduct in every state in the United States and around the world. Honored by the National Association for Music Education and Music For All as the first recipient of the “George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education,” Dr. Boonshaft is Director of Education for Jupiter Band Instruments. He is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. As well, his weekly “Boonshaft’s Blog” for music educators continues to inspire teachers everywhere. He has received official proclamations from the Governors of five states and a Certificate of Appreciation from former President Ronald Reagan, as well as performing for former President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush, former President Bill Clinton, and for Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His honors also include being selected three times as a National Endowment for the Arts “Artist in Residence,” three times awarded Honorary Life Membership in the Tri-M Music Honor Society, receiving the Al G. Wright Award of Distinction from the Women Band Directors International, and being selected for the Center for Scholarly Research and Academic Excellence at Hofstra University, where he was honored as Professor Emeritus of Music.

Martina Vasil, PhD, is Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky. She teaches undergraduate courses in general music and modern band and graduate courses in qualitative research and Orff Schulwerk. She also coordinates summer programs in Orff, Dalcroze, and modern band.

Vasil has led efforts to expand popular music education in Kentucky, revising the BMME to include modern band and launching partnerships with schools. She created the first all-state modern band for elementary students at the 2023 Kentucky Music Educators Association conference, later expanding it to middle and high school.

A recognized educator, Vasil has received university and state-level teaching awards, including the UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award. She has created and taught courses on popular music and Orff for both the University of Alberta and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. In 2023, she was a Fulbright Specialist in Liberia. She presents nationally and internationally and recently completed a residency at Georgia State University.

Her research centers on popular music education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Orff Schulwerk. She is editor of Popular Music in Elementary Music Education (Oxford, est. 2026) and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of General Music Education. Vasil is a board member of Music Will and serves on NAfME’s Music Teacher Profession Advisory Committee.