8 Tips for Making the Most of a Virtual Conference

Last weekend our state music teachers association substituted our annual conference with a virtual rendition of the same. It was very well planned, and I had a great time participating! We usually rotate around our state to different locations, and I usually meet up with a good friend and colleague to explore the local area, and I usually enjoy connecting with other colleagues from across the state that I only see at this annual affair. Determined not to miss out on these highlights of the conference, I did some brainstorming and came up with a plan. Here are a few tips for anyone else who wants to make the most of a virtual music conference.

1. Book a Getaway Location – One of my favorite aspects of attending our annual conference is getting away for a weekend to focus on learning and growing and taking new ideas back to my studio. I decided that this virtual conference would be no different! So, I searched my favorite travel site, Airbnb, for a location within a couple of hours of my house that would be conducive to the occasion. I found an adorable little house in a town just shy of 1 hour from me.

2. Verify a Strong WiFi Signal – A few places that looked promising in my search got ruled out due to a lack of WiFi. Similarly, even if you opt to stay home for the conference, make sure that you know what location in your house is best for a strong WiFi signal, and make sure that your family is aware of your plans so that they can avoid using the internet during conference hours. Otherwise, there is a possibility that you will overload the network and end up with a glitchy connection.

3. Know the Conference Schedule – Make sure you print or keep readily accessible the conference schedule so that you can keep up with the sessions. Our conference planners did a great job of having presenters pre-record each session, but then scheduled them at specific times followed by a live Q&A with the presenter.

4. Participate in the Live Portions – Jot down any questions or comments during the sessions and be prepared to ask during the live session. Or, even if you don’t have anything specific to say, hop on the video and see what you can learn from the comments and questions of others. Plus, there’s something delightful about just seeing the faces of your colleagues who are also participating in the conference!

5. Keep Logins and Passwords Handy – Our organizers did a great job of setting up the conference page and sending out passwords for each of the videos and login and password info for the live sessions. Just make sure that you keep all this handy or print it out ahead of time (along with any corresponding handouts you might want to refer to during the presentations) so that everything runs as smoothly as possible.

6. Have a Meal Plan – Since I was in another location, I scoped out the options ahead of time (that actually factored into the place that I ended up booking!) to find a place that was close and quick where I could grab some dinner during the break and have time to be back and ready for the evening concert session. Since meal times and/or options are built into most in-person conference schedules, it helps to at least think through this ahead of time and know what and when you plan to eat so that you don’t get sidetracked and miss out on a session.

7. Be Prepared to Take Screenshots – Especially if the presenters are using a PowerPoint or sharing their screen, there may be some great ideas you want to remember that won’t be included in the handout. Know how to take a screenshot (CMD+Shift+3 on a Mac; or CMD+Shift+4 if you want to click and drag a specific area) and be ready to snap one if you see something memorable. This visual of Sonata Form using cookies is a perfect example of a picture that Crystal Zimmerman (co-editor with Helen Marlais of the Sonatinas series published by FJH) shared during her session on Succeeding with Sonatinas.

8. Include Time for Reflection – It takes time for me to process information, so I always like to have my idea notebook available and some time set aside to look over notes, brainstorm ideas, consider how to apply what I’ve learned in my teaching, etc. Years ago someone gave some advice in relation to conferences and it has always stuck with me. “Don’t try to absorb everything you possibly can; instead, listen for one nugget of wisdom that you can take from each session.” That perspective helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed with a deluge of information and ideas and enables me to hone in on something that is specific and applicable for my students or my studio.

I’m so grateful that we were still able to experience the benefits of a state conference, and I hope that all of you have that opportunity as well. MTNA also recently announced that they’ve made the decision to go virtual for their 2021 conference as well, so hopefully this will be helpful for those who want to “attend” that! Do you have any other tips from your own virtual conference experiences? What has been most beneficial? What mistakes should be avoided? I’d love to hear your ideas! Feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email.

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