What is the Ensemble Event 2026?
• The state of Texas is home to the largest piano ensemble program in the United States. Each year at TMTA's annual conference, over a thousand students have an opportunity to perform in concerts held throughout the weekend on a stage with 15 grand pianos, while in costumes themed with their music. The TMTA Ensemble Program gives the beginner, intermediate, and advanced piano student the unique opportunity to play with other pianists in a piano ensemble.
• It is one of the most fun events for students of all ages to perform at the Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) State Convention, to be held in Houston this year.
• There will be 15 grand pianos on the stage. We can have a duet team at each piano. We plan to have 5-15 duets teams from our Pearland MTA in each of our ensembles. It's like a "piano choir!"
• We will have 4 ensembles - - early elementary, elementary, intermediate and high school.

TMTA Convention Details
• It will be at the Houston Hyatt Regency located at 1200 Louisiana Street in downtown Houston.
• The 2026 dates for the entire convention are June 10-13. Our ensembles will perform on 6/11, so that's the only day you will be attending. 

• The performances will have an audience of 500-1000 people.

Other Details
• Learning the music and playing it well is the first priority. Memorization is required.
 

• I've picked which ensemble will be the best one for every participant to be in.
 

• The only requirement to participate is to pass the Theory Test – that means a 70.

• We will have simple costuming that fits the theme of the piece. 

• We will have 4 rehearsals for each group on Saturdays 5/2, 5/16, 5/30, and 6/6 at Pasadena Memorial High School in the Choir Room, 4410 Crenshaw Road, Pasadena. Here is a link to the campus map. Parents should park in the east parking lot red X and enter at the entrance where the yellow X is. 

 

​​Schedule for all these Rehearsals:

Group 1 (Bingo) - 3:30 PM - Cypress, Kai, Leia, Abigail (there will be 10 total). 30 minute rehearsal

Group 2 (Addams Family Theme) - 4:15 PM-Alaina, Alan,  Thomas, Owen L., Luke, Rowan - 30 minute rehearsal

Group 3 (We Are the Champions) - 5:00 PM - Austin, Hazel, Lydia, Savannah, Cherith  45 minute rehearsal

Group 4 (Here Comes the Sun) - 6:00 PM-Brayden, Owen C., Miles, Seth, Carter 30 minute rehearsal

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Here are the Ensemble Tracks - ENSEMBLE  PRACTICE TRACKS HERE

These tracks are recordings of the primo alone at different tempos, secondo alone at different tempos, and them both parts together at different tempos. They are for students to practice with at home. Once we learn the music, I will show them how to use these at home.

Here is my suggestions on how to use the tracks:

1. Click on the ENSEMBLE  PRACTICE TRACKS HERE

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​2. In this folder you will find subfolders for all 4 ensembles that are performing.

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3. Click on the subfolder named for the song your child is playing.

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4. In your subfolder you will find 9 mp3 tracks:

a. Both duet parts together played at 3 different tempos (that's the number in the title). There is a counting at the beginning of the recording to set how fast to go.

b. The primo part (the part at the top of the piano)  played at 3 different tempos (that's the number in the title). There is a counting at the beginning of the recording to set how fast to go.

c. The secondo part (the part at the bottom of the piano)  played at 3 different tempos (that's the number in the title). There is a counting at the beginning of the recording to set how fast to go.

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5. How to use these recordings:

a. Play both parts together at the slowest speed so that the student can hear what the entire duet with both parts sounds like.

b. Then play your student's part at the slowest speed so that the student can hear when their part should sound like.

c. Then encourage your student to play their part along with the recording. If they can't quite do it, that is OK. Keep trying.

d. Next, if your student is playing primo, play the secondo mp3 at the slowest speed. If your student is playing secondo, play the primo mp3 at the slowest speed.

e. Next, encourage your student to play their part along with the other part. 

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6. As the student becomes proficient, encourage them to try the faster recordings.

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Here is the YouTube of Here Comes the Sun performed by Josh Stewart, arranger: CLICK HERE.  I suggest this ensemble listen to this over and over and over.

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HERE is  additional information about the TMTA Convention, and where the PMTA ensembles fit in:

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For all the information in one handy place, go to www.tmta.org, click on Conference in upper right, then click on "2026 Conference". Click around on this page to learn a lot - maps, schedules, registration, hotel information. 

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I'll break down the highlights here:

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• The conference is at June 10-13 at the Hyatt Regency downtown Houston (just google for directions), but our ensembles only have to be there on Thursday 6/11.

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• Ensembles from all over the state are in performance concerts that go on all day, but 2 of our ensembles are in the 2:00 concert, and the other 2 are in the 3:30 concert. And just like with recitals, you must stay for the entire hour long concert. Bluntly, it would be rude to leave after your student performs.

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• Ensemble performances and stage rehearsals are in the Imperial Ballroom East (3rd floor). Stage rehearsals will give everyone the chance to be completely comfortable for their performances. There will be lots of people to give you directions to where this is.

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• Lab rehearsals are in Magnolia (3rd floor). These rehearsals are to give us a bit more time to practice if we need it.

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• Cindi Bender Photography will take group pictures immediately following the stage rehearsal.

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• REGISTRATION:  Everyone has to register for the convention. PMTA covers the registration for the students participating in an ensemble. Go to https://www.tmta.org/

1.  Click on Conference in the upper right side.

2.  In the dropdown, click on Conference Registration.

3.  Choose Registration Type - click on Guest Registration.

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• IF YOU WANT TO, you can reserve a room at the Hyatt with our group rates. Thankfully, this year, our times are not at 8AM, so you should be OK to just drive in.

 

Here is our Schedule for the performances, all on Thursday, 6/11/26:

We Are the Champions -   2:00 PM,  Stage Rehearsal - 10:10 AM (7 minutes timed), and  Lab Rehearsal - 12:00-12:15 PM  

Addams Family Theme     2:00 PM,  Stage Rehearsal - 10:17 AM (7 minutes timed), and  Lab Rehearsal - 12:15-12:30 PM 

Bingo                              3:30 PM  Stage Rehearsal - 10:24 AM (7 minutes timed), and  Lab Rehearsal - 12:30-12:45 PM 

Comes the Sun                3:30 PM  Stage Rehearsal - 10:03 AM (7 minutes timed), and Lab Rehearsal -this group doesn't really need one

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EVERY STUDENT MUST BE AT THE STAGE REHEARSAL.

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• You can see videos HERE of the 2025 performances