“Poetry and Music” Theme Festival
“Poetry and Music” Theme Festival
GLMTA is elated to offer this event to the greater Maryland area for the 2025-2026 teaching year. This year we will be explore the evocative connection of music and poetry as experienced by the performing artist.
Chairperson: Yee-Ning Soong, ningsy23@gmail.com
Festival Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026
Application and Video Deadlines: Friday, January 23, 2026 e-mail Trophy Cup form, entry form. Checks for registration fee, mail to Wendy Dengler (8702 Granite Lane, Laurel MD 20708) no later than January 24 with an email to Wendy and Chair)
Entry Forms: Use excel spreadsheet from website.
Awards: Each student will receive a certificate of participation, given to teachers after the performance.
Fee: $5.00 per performer, including adults. ONE TEACHER CHECK to be mailed to the chairperson, postmarked by registration deadline.
Literature: one solo (any instrument is permissible) and/or ensemble composition from any composer along with a poem for each jusical composition from any poet including the performing student.
**Special Notes for Poetry and Music**
Resources:
In addition to poetry books that I will bring to the September 18 meeting, you can look at thousands of poems via these links.
Browse poetry by age appropriate-ness
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/audiences/children
Browse poetry by categories/subject matter (use their filter results strip)
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/browse
American poet poetry lessons incorporating music
https://poets.org/collection/poetry-lesson-plans-about-music
American poet poetry lessons incorporating Valentine’s Day
https://poets.org/collection/lesson-plans-valentines-day
Kid-friendly poetry by American poets
https://poets.org/poems-kids
Browse your own contemporary American poetry lessons plans by theme
https://poets.org/lesson-plans-theme
Funny light hearted poetry by well known poets: search poetry by Ogden Nash, Lewis Carroll, Shel Silverstein
And to be sure–do not discount poetry from other countries!! I merely do not include them because of my own ignorance… but parents of students with other backgrounds may want to make a connection with their child about poetry from their culture. I do ask that in order for more of the audience to enjoy the selection of poetry if they could please give me the title, author, and verse in translation as well as in original language.
Chinese poetry repository, with translation and explanations
https://www.cn-poetry.com
15 of the most famous Chinese poems, with translation and explanations
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wukongsch.com/blog/chinese-poems-post-37330/%3famp=1
Support your local library, check out these poetry compilations!
Prelutsky and Lobel’s The Random House Book of Poetry for Children
I will also try to bring some poetry books to the first meeting of the year so people can snap pictures of ones they might want to share with their students.
And of course, students and parents are welcome to compose their own poetry that is evocative of the musical composition(s) they are performing.
One thing to avoid: Please do not submit AI “slop” and do not encourage students to use AI to write for them. There are so many better sources as noted above.
SPECIAL NOTES:
1. Registration should make note of each student’s preference of a 4 hour window on Saturday, February 14, 2026 during which they can attend the recital. The chair will try their best to accommodate all requests, but it is not guaranteed. Most programs will be approximately 45 minutes long. You must attend the whole program to be given the participation points towards the GLMTA Trophy Cup.
2. In the event of a virtual recital, students will upload their pre-recorded video to YouTube and send their teacher the YouTube link, who will then enter the video link along with other registration information to the shared spreadsheet. Be sure to remind students to set privacy to “unlisted”, set COPPA setting for “not for children”.
SPECIAL NOTES: