Ignite Your Inner Champion

October 16-17, 2025

Hilton Orlando
6001 Destination Parkway
Orlando FL 32819

Keynote Speaker
Creston Herron

Creston Herron is the Director of Orchestral Activities for the University of Kansas and serves on the faculty of the Interlochen Arts Camp. Mr. Herron previously served as the Director of Fine Arts for the Klein Independent School District, Conductor of the Shepherd School of Music Campanile Orchestra at Rice University, Director of Orchestras at Klein High School, and the Director of Orchestras for the Yes Prep Public Schools.

Mr. Herron’s recent engagements as a guest conductor include work with Regional and All-State ensembles in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and throughout Texas. He has also served on the summer faculty of the AFA Summer Music Festival, Stephen F. Austin University Summer Music Camp, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Music Clinic.

As a dedicated pedagogue, Mr. Herron enjoys working with current and future educators and young performers. He has presented masterclasses and guest lectures at The Midwest Clinic, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Houston, Moores School of Music, Sam Houston State University, Texas Tech University, The American String Teachers Association, The League of American Orchestras, and the NAMM Believe in Music Webinar Series. He also gives professional development workshops to educators locally and nationally and is involved in judging UIL competitions and solo and ensemble contests.

Mr. Herron has enjoyed national recognition both as an educator and musician, with orchestras earning multiple national titles under his direction, including being named national winner of The American Prize, Grand Champions of the ASTA National Orchestra Festival, Texas Music Educators Association State Honor Orchestra, Grand Champions of the New York Orchestra Cup and invited group at the 75th Midwest Clinic held in Chicago, Illinois. Individually he has gained recognition for his work in music education as the Teacher of the Year at Klein High School, awarded the Marjorie Keller Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award by the state board of the Texas Chapter of ASTA, and the Spec’s Charitable Award for Excellence in Music Education awarded by the Houston Symphony.

Alongside his work as an educator, Mr. Herron continues to hone his performing skills as a violinist, having collaborated with artists such as Renee Fleming, Mark O’Connor, and Rachel Barton-Pine. He has performed with Da Camera of Houston, CCM Spoleto Festival in Italy, Galveston Symphony, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Pasadena Philharmonic, Eutiner Festspiele Opera in Eutin, Germany and the Houston Latin Philharmonic.

Creston Herron is a graduate of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where he received his B.M. in music performance, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music in Houston, TX, where he received his M.M. on scholarship as a Provost Fellow and a Brown Scholar, and recently received an M.Ed in school leadership from Sam Houston State University. Creston Herron resides in Kansas City with his wife, orchestra director Dawn Herron, and their three children.

Keynote Speaker
David Pope, PhD

David Pope serves an Associate Professor of Music Education and Chair of Professional Studies at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music. In addition, he is also a senior conductor and camp director for the Baldwin Wallace University String Orchestra Camp and serves as a string clinician for Alfred Music. As an active adjudicator and clinician, he has conducted numerous all-state orchestras, regional honor orchestras, and served as a guest clinician for orchestra programs, university summer camps, and university music education programs across the United States. Prior to Baldwin Wallace, Dr. Pope taught middle and high orchestra in Tennessee, Florida, and Ohio. He also conducted the Camerata Orchestra at Case Western Reserve University, taught graduate string pedagogy courses at the VanderCook College of Music, and served as a conductor for the Sarasota (FL) and Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra programs. He also worked at Spoleto Festival USA and the Aspen Music Festival. Dr. Pope received his bachelor's degree and Ph.D. in music education from Florida State University and master's degree from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Pope has presented string pedagogy clinics and his research at numerous state, regional, national, and international conferences. His research has also been published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, String Research Journal, Research Perspectives in Music Education, Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education, Music Educators Journal, American String Teacher, and the Florida Music Director.  Dr. Pope currently serves on the review committees for Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and Research Perspectives in Music Education. He is also the current editor for The String Research Journal. Dr. Pope recently co-authored a new method book that was published by Alfred Music and served as a co-editor and compiler for volume 4 of Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra.

Dr. Pope previously served as the chair and vice chair for the American String Teachers Association’s national conference. He also received the Distinguished Music Educator Award from the Yale Symposium for Music in Schools and was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Music Educator Award for the state of Tennessee. Dr. Pope was also awarded the 2020 Emerging String Researcher Award from the American String Teacher Association. He is a current member of the National Association for Music Education and the American String Teachers Association.