Keeping the Beat by TNMEA

Keeping the Beat, hosted by TNMEA in partnership with the CMA Foundation, is an engaging web series featuring interactive discussions led by guest music industry professionals and educators about wide-ranging topics in music including education, performance, administration, and advocacy.

The concept for Keeping the Beat was originally conceived and launched on March 16, 2020 by the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Department of Music (originally called Corona Connection) as a means to connect talented artists with hungry music students and educators amidst the challenges and life interruptions of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

With virtually no online curriculums in place for so many and event cancellations nationwide, this response was an innovative way to reach students, community members, and educators everywhere virtually by offering invaluable information from music industry professionals.

After making the difficult yet responsible decision to cancel their 2020 state conference, leadership from the Tennessee Music Educators Association and the CMA Foundation worked with the Department of Music at UT Martin to transform the Corona Connection series to a much larger audience in Tennessee and beyond.

Keeping the Beat launched on March 30, 2020 with the vision that the series will be of great value to both artist presenters and audience members even after the pandemic has passed.