Gilbert to Present at Music Conference in Italy in July

Windsor Central School District music teacher Kris Gilbert will once again present at an international conference hosted by the Association of Popular Music Education (APME), a professional organization dedicated to supporting K-12 and post-secondary educators who teach in the field of popular music education and modern band.


Gilbert will present at the 2026 International APME Conference, taking place July 14-16 in Sulmona, Italy. She also presented at APME’s inaugural international gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2024.

This year’s conference theme, “Sharing Voices, Shaping Futures: Music, Identity and Education,” focuses on the role music plays in education, personal identity, and community building.

At the conference, Gilbert will present a session titled “From Concept to Label: How Modern Band is Making Students College and Career Ready.” The presentation highlights the innovative work taking place in Windsor’s music program, where students take ownership of every aspect of producing major rock concerts each year. Beyond live performance, students gain real-world experience through songwriting, recording, producing, and releasing original music through the school’s Spotify label.

“It is an honor to once again be selected to share the outstanding work our students are doing,” Gilbert said. “Our students continue to demonstrate incredible creativity, dedication, and professionalism through their music. I am always eager to showcase their achievements and the unique opportunities they experience through our modern band program and recording studio.”

The session will showcase how Windsor students develop valuable college and career readiness skills through hands-on experiences in music production, event management, collaboration, creativity, and entrepreneurship.