Maine Motif Issue 3, Vol. II (Spring 2018) | Page 8

with Dr. Dennis Cox and Ludlow Hallman at the University of Maine. Mr. Boyd is an
active judge for many choral music festivals at the regional level and is serving as a
judge for All-State Music Festival in Maine. Mr. Boyd has also had the pleasure of
directing several honors choirs at the regional level in Maine. In the summer, Mr. Boyd
teaches at USM’s Summer Choral Academy. As a performer, he is a frequently requested
guest Baritone soloist for several church and community choirs throughout Maine. In
addition, he is part of the folk fusion band BOLD RILEY.
How should/can MMEA support Music Education K-12 in the state of Maine beyond
and in addition to continuing to provide quality festival opportunities for the students
in Maine?
MMEA needs to continue to have a seat at the table when it comes to
the upcoming changes to graduation requirements and other changes that the
Department of Education wishes to implement. This requires collaboration with
other organizations that have children's best interests at heart, such as the Maine
Education Association and the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative.  
I feel that festival experiences vary between different music regions. I would like to
review how each MMEA associated festival is run, and try to set up a comprehensive
guide that can share "best practices" with each district. Some rural districts do not have
the same financial resources as others to provide the best experience for students, and I
think that MMEA needs to investigate how it can help.
How do you interpret what the role of President Elect is or will be within MMEA?
As president elect, my role will be to support the mission and vision of MMEA and the
President. My goals would be to continue to cultivate positive relationships with all
stakeholders in our organization and within the education community as a whole.
What do you see as your leadership strengths that you will bring to the position and to
the board?
I am proud to have served MMEA at the regional level and at the state level for the past
8 years. I have learned a lot about leadership in my varied positions. I have developed a
good ear to listen to people and find common ground in order to solve issues before they
become problems. I have learned from failed communication opportunities and firmly
believe that developing positive relationships is the very best I can bring to this position.
Polls will open May 18 after the Member Meeting and will remain open
online for one week. Please take the time to vote for your favorite
candidate for this important leadership position.