Convention Policies

Attendees are expected to maintain a respectful and supportive environment. Any verbal or physical abuse directed toward TMEA staff, officers, or event personnel is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. In such cases, security personnel will be notified, and if necessary, the individual will be escorted from the premises.

• TMEA contracts with off-duty San Antonio police officers to provide security onsite throughout our event.
• If you experience an emergency, please first call 911.
• The convention center is a public facility and as such its personnel must comply with local, state, and federal laws. This requirement extends to TMEA as the facility renter.
• Only service animals (as defined by the ADA) are permitted in the convention center. For questions, contact Delia Garcia.

By attending the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic/Convention, you consent to being photographed, filmed, and/or recorded. These materials may be used by TMEA for promotional or informational purposes, across various media including web and social media. Your presence implies a waiver of any rights to payment, inspection, or approval of these uses and releases TMEA and its representatives from any related liability.

Convention fees for members and out-of-state registrants are refundable if requested via email to susand@tmea.org by April 30 (verbal requests cannot be accepted). Please specify if the refund should be issued to the member or the school district. All refunds will incur a 10% processing fee. After April 30, no refunds will be processed.

Attendees who are not active members will be asked to offer their seats to active TMEA members at workshops with capacity attendance.

No CPE credit will be given to those holding non-educator, family, or visitor badges. CPE credit is available only to TMEA Active type members, Honorary Life members, and out-of-state attendees who register and attend the convention. College Student and Retired members will not have access to create CPE records.

Available for online prepurchase and onsite—All music educators (public and private) must register for the convention. This includes conductors, clinicians, private lesson instructors, and professional musicians in Texas or out-of-state.

Texas music educators/musicians must also be active TMEA members to complete registration. If you do not preregister, you will complete onsite registration and receive your badge after completing that process.

Available for online prepurchase and onsite—TMEA College Student members can attend the convention at no cost (membership must be current—dues are $30). However, you must still complete the free registration process to receive your badge and attend the convention.

A badge is required to access our incredible exhibit hall. Family members can obtain badges at the Visitors booth in convention registration. Note: Family badges do not grant access to the priority ticket line for All-State concerts.

Badges for Family Members of Registered Attendees

Available for online prepurchase and onsite—Family badges are $15 each for family members of registered attendees (excluding music educators, musicians, and college music students). Badges can be prepurchased online until January 31 or purchased onsite by a registered TMEA member. Prepurchased badges are nonrefundable. FREE badges are available for children 11 and under if the child is present at registration.

Badges for Family Members of Performers & All-State Students

Available onsite only—Family members of performing group members can attend their group’s concert without a badge. Entrance to the Exhibit Hall does, however, require the purchase of a Family badge, available at the Visitor registration booth for $15 each (FREE for All-State student family members and children 11 and under if the child is present at registration).

High school and middle school students may attend the TMEA convention only after 3 p.m. on Friday, unless accompanied by TMEA family members or as part of an invited performing group. Directors, please note: the TMEA convention is not intended as a field trip for student groups.

High school and middle school student visitors may register at the Visitor registration booth starting at 3 p.m. on Friday and must show a school ID. Middle school students must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The registration fee is $15 per student, valid for Friday and Saturday. Family members of students may also purchase family badges for $15 per family member at this time (student must be present).

TFME Exception: Active members of a Texas Future Music Educators chapter register in advance and are allowed to pick up their badges onsite starting at 7:30 a.m., Friday morning.

Anyone who is not a musician, music educator, or student can purchase visitor passes at the Visitor registration booth.

Available onsite only—Visitors who pay the following rates will have access to all clinics, concerts, the exhibit hall, and the priority line for All-State concerts.

• Adult Single-day: $95
• Adult Multi-day: $170

Visitors are not eligible for CPE credit. All music educators (public and private) must register for the convention. This includes conductors, clinicians, private lesson instructors, and professional musicians. Texas music educators/musicians must also be active TMEA members to complete registration.

No personal recordings are allowed during any concert. Professional recordings of most concerts (not music showcases) are available through Mark Custom Recordings. To order, visit MarkCustom.com after the convention.

Please respect the experience of all attendees by silencing and putting away all devices and cameras during the musical performance.

After a concert begins, entry and exit are permitted only during applause between selections. Venues will be cleared after each performance.

Concert Tickets

Each All-State student will receive a set of four concert tickets along with their convention badge on Wednesday. To use these tickets, please arrange to meet your student outside of rehearsal times. Only four tickets are provided per student, and lost tickets cannot be replaced. Note: ATSSB, TCCBDA, and TCCDA concerts do not require tickets.

Priority Concert Entry

Those with All-State Concert Tickets or a TMEA paid convention badge are allowed entry first. Note: Family badges do not grant access to the priority ticket line. For concerts in Lila Cockrell Theatre and Stars at Night Ballroom, attendees may line up no earlier than 1.5 hours before the concert start. Ten minutes prior to the beginning of a concert, if seating is available, admission is open to all.

You may line up no earlier than 1.5 hours before concert start time.

All-State Bands & Orchestras

Go to the band and orchestra concert line location first (in the hall between the theatre and the North Lobby). Concerts are in Lila Cockrell Theatre on the street level.

All-State Choirs

Go to the choir concert line location first (in Hemisfair Ballroom 3). Concerts are in the Stars at Night Ballroom on the 3rd floor on the north side of the center above the Convention Center.

All-State Percussion, Jazz, Mariachi

Go directly to the concert venue. These concerts do not have a line process. The Hemisfair Ballroom is on the 3rd floor on the southeast corner of the convention center (facing the Tower of Americas).

The TCCBDA All-State Wind Symphony concert will be held in Room 217, proceed directly to the concert venue.