The Association for Popular Music Education (APME) invites middle school, high school, and college student musicians to take part in the 2026 APME Live Student Festival, hosted at the University of Miami.
This is a non-competitive, in-person festival designed to celebrate creativity in an encouraging, educational setting. Student bands, soloists, and producers from all genres will perform for peers and the local community and learn from a team of outstanding popular music clinicians and professionals.
Whether you play in a band or perform as a solo artist, this is your chance to share your music, learn, and connect with others who love popular music as much as you do.
Festival Experience
- Clinician/Feedback Workshops: Professional musicians and educators will provide supportive feedback, highlighting strengths and offering ideas for growth.
- Recognition: All ensembles receive a certificate of participation.
- Outstanding soloists receive individual certificates.
- Exceptional original works may receive special recognition and be featured on the APME website.
- Repertoire: No required pieces — perform original music, covers, or both.
- Community: All performances are open to the public. Students and teachers are encouraged to support and learn from fellow performers.
- Festival Showcase: Clinicians will be pre-selecting student bands to perform at a local Miami venue.
- Conference Access: Over three days, students and teachers also have access to the full APME conference, including:
- Networking events
- Songwriting sessions with professionals
- One-on-one mentoring
- Presentations and performances by industry experts, educators, and researchers
What you need to participate
On the submission form linked below, you’ll need to submit the following items:
- Artist name
- Artist bio
- Artist photo
- Artist/school program website
- Artist/school program social media
- YouTube link to a 3-5 minute video performance
- An input list of ALL instruments/vocalists, i.e., drums, bass, guitar, 5 vocals, etc.
Participation Fees
Participation fees are $100 for bands and $50 for solo/duo acts, payable upon acceptance into the Festival. Individual students are limited to performing in no more than two bands. We have a limited number of waivers to cover participation fees for schools that will allow student ensembles to participate in the conference at no cost to the school. A reminder that a band’s director and/or lead contact will need to register for the APME conference. Students will be registered for the conference free of charge through the completion of the Consent/Assent form that will be mailed to invited artists.
Clinic slots are limited to 20, with priority given to those who apply by the priority deadline of December 1, 2025. Final submission deadline is January 15, 2026. All selected participants will be notified by February 1, 2026.
DIGITAL MUSIC SHOWCASE EXPERIENCE:
We invite students of all ages to submit digital compositions for inclusion in our 2026 Miami Conference. Selected works will be featured across APME’s social media platforms and will serve as the official soundtrack of the conference.
SHOWCASE INFORMATION
1. All submitted music should have been recorded and created in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
2. Entries must be between a minimum of 1.5 minutes in length and no longer than 4 minutes
Submission types
DIGITAL COMPOSITION (INSTRUMENTAL)
Original compositions for any combination of electronic instruments produced using a digital audio workstation (DAW). Compositions should demonstrate skill in production through the use of a DAW. The composer/producer may use short audio recordings of instruments or voices as samples in the creation of the work, but may not be tracked (long segments of audio recording such as chorus vocals, or instrumental solos) as part of the composition. *Any works submitted in this category that contain recorded audio tracks will be moved to the Audio Production category. All musical content should be originally created or produced by the entrant using “Real Time” or “Step Entry” methods. Entries must be between a minimum of 1.5 minutes in length and no longer than 5 minutes. The entry must include a .mp3 or .wav audio file (160 kbps minimum) of the final mix.
AUDIO PRODUCTION (INCLUDING SONG WITH VOCALS)
Original compositions for any combination of electronic instruments, acoustic instruments, and/or voices, produced using a digital audio workstation (DAW). Compositions may include software/MIDI tracks, but should also demonstrate skill in audio recording and production by including a minimum of one audio track of an acoustic instrument, voice, or electronic synthesizer. The composer/producer may use other musicians in the creation of the work, but must be primarily responsible for the recording of the track(s). All musical content should be originally created or produced by the entrant. Entries must be between a minimum of 1.5 minutes in length and no longer than 5 minutes. The entry must include a .mp3 or .wav audio file (160 kbps minimum) of the final mix.
REMIX OR DERIVATIVE WORK (DJ remixes are welcomed)
Entrants will use a DAW to create a remix or arrangement of a pre-existing song using some combination of song samples, vocal stems, pre-recorded loops, and original material. Projects should demonstrate originality and creative use of technology and skills in mixing and production. The original source/creator of copyrighted materials must be credited and cited in the entry application. Entries must be a minimum of 1.5 minutes long and no longer than 5 minutes. The entry should include a .mp3 or .wav audio file of the final product (160 kbps minimum).
Conference Housing
Coming Soon!
Local Information
Coming Soon!
Questions?
Contact us at APMELIVE@popularmusiceducation.org