Session Proposals

Peter Markes (Marcus) lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Kris, and their two boys, Patrick and Vincent. Since 2020 he has taught on faculty at his alma mater, Oklahoma City University, as associate professor and director of music education and faculty advisor for OCU's NAfME Collegiate Chapter. From 2002-17 he was director of orchestras at Edmond North High School, taking the ensemble to a performance at the Midwest Clinic in 2012 and two tours to Carnegie Hall. In 2013, he was selected as the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year and also one of the “50 Directors Who Make a Difference” by School Band and Orchestra magazine. In 2026, Markes was a finalist conducting candidate for the OKCPHIL’s education concert series and also the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras OYP ensemble. As a performer, he has partnered with Kyle Dillingham for over 30 years, and together they have performed and taught in over 30 countries on five continents, played on the Grand Ole Opry, the halftime show for the OKC Thunder, and released several recordings in the Americana and folk-pop genres. As a solo artist, Markes has released two albums, I Have a Dream (2018) and My Father’s Age (2024), available to stream worldwide. Learn and hear more at www.PeterMarkes.com and YouTube and social media @PeterMarkesMusic.

Have you stolen some great ideas from conferences and colleagues but thought, “We could never afford that”? This crowd-sourced session will combine school music advocacy with many ready-to-go resources in the world of school fundraising, from tried-and-true sales (lots of great vendors at the conference!) to some seemingly whacky (but lucrative) ideas that might work well in your community.

• Band - Middle School
• Band - Secondary
• Choral - Middle School
• Choral - Secondary
• Orchestra - Middle School
• Orchestra - Secondary