ASTA Conference 2026 Coverage (parts 1 and 2)Welcome to The Orchestra Teacher Podcast ! We're live from ASTA 2026 in San Francisco, proudly featuring D'Addario, the title sponsor, and their exceptional strings. We talk with a few vendors and some people in the exhibit hall.

PART TWO:🎻 Live from the 2026 ASTA National Conference in San Francisco! 🌉Dr. Charles Laux, with The Orchestra Teacher Podcast, bringing you exclusive live clips from the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Conference held in beautiful San Francisco.In this special episode, you’ll hear candid conversations with string educators, ASTA leaders, mentors, and industry partners about:✨ The incredible energy and camaraderie of opening day🎶 Music happening at every turn🤝 The power of community in string education🌎 Connecting with colleagues from across the countryFeatured guests include: • Rebecca MacLeod (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Immediate Past President of ASTA) • Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli (ASTA Board Member, San Francisco Bay Area) • Kelly Bell, Executive Director of The Midwest Clinic • String educators from Rhode Island and New Mexico sharing insights on the ASTA Mentoring ProgramYou’ll also hear about:🎼 The 80th anniversary of The Midwest Clinic in Chicago📋 Upcoming application deadlines for clinics and performances🎓 ASTA’s mentoring program — designed for both new AND veteran teachers -- https://www.astastrings.org/site/mentor-program🙌 Gratitude for presenters, committee members, and sponsors who make the conference possibleA special thank you to our conference partners, including D’Addario (Title Sponsor) and Eastman Strings, who provided instruments for the National Orchestra Festival.If you love networking, professional growth, and celebrating the string teaching community, this episode captures the heart of what makes ASTA so special.👉 Be sure to like, subscribe, and share with a fellow orchestra educator!🎙️ And we’ll see you next time on The Orchestra Teacher Podcast.— SPONSORS AND AFFILIATE LINKS —Looking to plan a great orchestra trip? Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning performance travel beyond expectations for more than 30 years. ⁠https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-orchestra-teacher-podcast/⁠Want to find some classic repertoire or looking for something different and new? Check out Keiser Productions!https://www.keiserproductions.comLooking for things on Amazon?  Use my affiliate link:⁠https://amzn.to/3RkfRLk⁠Do you keep a monthly budget?  If not, try You Need a Budget!  It’s a great app/website that helps keep your finances on track.⁠https://tinyurl.com/TheOrchestraTeacherYNAB⁠Do you have cable?  Cut the cord and check out YouTube TV!  It works on mobile, Smart TVs, the web and more!⁠https://tv.youtube.com/referral/r22irzcuy7jshi⁠Resources and more information at ⁠www.orchestrateacher.net⁠