August 2026 Newsletter
In This Issue
The Monthly Cadence
From the Founder: Dr. Dennis Frayne, Ed. D.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's Coming Up
The Monthly Cadence
The Dennis Frayne Association newsletter, The Monthly Cadence, will debut in September 2026. Each month it will bring together practical teaching ideas, thoughtful educational philosophy, professional encouragement, Association news, and opportunities for continued learning. Designed for music teachers who want to teach with greater confidence, clarity, musicianship, purpose, and joy, every issue is intended to leave readers with new ideas to explore, renewed encouragement for the work they do, and a deeper connection to a growing community of music educators.
Just as a steady musical cadence brings direction and forward motion, The Monthly Cadence provides a regular rhythm of learning, reflection, and professional growth throughout the year. Written for busy music teachers, each issue is designed to be thoughtful, practical, and enjoyable to read.
Readers can look forward to practical teaching ideas for their very next lesson, reflections on music education and educational philosophy, curriculum updates, recommended resources, member highlights, upcoming events, and stories that celebrate the people, ideas, and relationships that strengthen music education. Whether you are looking for fresh instructional ideas, thoughtful professional conversation, or simply the encouragement to continue growing as a teacher and musician, The Monthly Cadence is one more way the Association supports healthy, fulfilling, and sustainable careers in music education.
The Monthly Cadence is included with every membership. Teacher Members and Association Sponsor Members receive each issue digitally by email, while Endorsed Teachers and Teachers of Teachers also receive a professionally printed edition by mail as part of their membership benefits. As issues are published, an online archive will allow members and visitors alike to revisit past articles and follow the continuing conversations taking place throughout the Association.
We respect your privacy. Your contact information is never sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes, and you may unsubscribe from the email edition at any time.
Like every part of the Dennis Frayne Association for Music Education, The Monthly Cadence exists to encourage, equip, and connect music teachers. Together, we are strengthening music education because music education strengthens people.
From the Founder:
Dr. Dennis Frayne, Ed. D.
For as long as I can remember, music has been one of the great joys of my life.
Teaching music has given me the privilege of helping thousands of students discover that same joy while also allowing me to continue growing as a musician, teacher, learner, author, and educational leader.
Throughout my career, I have worked with students of many ages, backgrounds, interests, and abilities, and every lesson has reinforced a simple truth: music education is about much more than learning notes and rhythms. It is about helping people build lifelong relationships with music.
Over the years, I came to realize that while teaching methods may differ, the deepest principles of effective music education remain remarkably consistent. The Dennis Frayne Approach to Music Education grew from a lifelong effort to understand, organize, and share those principles with teachers, students, and families.
What began as daily teaching gradually expanded into directing music schools, mentoring teachers, developing curriculum, writing articles and books, presenting workshops, and pursuing advanced study in music education. Each new experience raised new questions, refined old assumptions, and deepened my understanding of how people learn music most effectively. The Dennis Frayne Approach did not emerge from a single moment or idea. It developed over decades of teaching, listening, studying, observing, experimenting, and continually asking how music education could become even more meaningful, connected, and joyful.
Today, my work centers around three closely connected initiatives. The Dennis Frayne Approach to Music Education provides the educational philosophy and teaching framework that guides this work. The Dennis Frayne Association for Music Education is the professional organization and community through which teachers can study and apply that philosophy, continue developing as musicians and educators, and participate in professional learning, certification, publications, coaching, and collegial exchange. The Dennis Frayne Ascent is the student achievement and recognition program through which students undertake meaningful musical work, demonstrate what they can do, and receive recognition for genuine accomplishment. Together, the Approach, Association, and Ascent share a common purpose: strengthening music education because music education strengthens people.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Approach, Association, and Ascent?
What is the Dennis Frayne Approach to Music Education?
The Dennis Frayne Approach to Music Education is a connected philosophy and framework for helping people become musical and develop lifelong relationships with music. It begins with the student and considers how musical learning unfolds: through experience, listening, singing, movement, playing, reading, creating, repertoire, practice, performance, and the gradual development of broad and connected musicianship.
The Approach also considers how teachers make decisions. It brings together principles of learning, sequencing, healthy technique and movement, musical understanding, creativity, and professional judgment within a framework that provides direction without requiring every student, teacher, instrument, or learning situation to look the same.
Teachers are encouraged to understand and follow the student while also providing the leadership, knowledge, challenge, structure, and support that good teaching requires.
What is the Dennis Frayne Association for Music Education?
The Dennis Frayne Association for Music Education is a professional membership organization for music teachers and the organizational home of the Dennis Frayne Approach to Music Education.
Through membership and its programs, the Association provides professional community, publications and teaching resources, courses, coaching, certification, access to curriculum, and other opportunities for professional development. It also administers The Dennis Frayne Ascent, the student achievement and recognition program associated with the Approach.
The Association exists to help music teachers deepen their musicianship, strengthen their teaching, develop professional judgment and leadership, and build rewarding lives in music education. By supporting teachers as musicians, educators, professionals, and people, the Association helps them serve their students well while contributing to the larger life of music education.
What is the Dennis Frayne Ascent?
The Dennis Frayne Ascent is a comprehensive student achievement and recognition program that encourages, recognizes, and celebrates lifelong musical growth. Through a series of meaningful Demonstrations of Learning, students develop and demonstrate musicianship across a wide range of musical skills and receive recognition as they progress through the program.
Open to students of every age and ability, the Dennis Frayne Ascent is offered through eligible Teacher Members of the Dennis Frayne Association for Music Education. It is designed to motivate continued growth, celebrate genuine accomplishment, and help students build a lifelong relationship with music.
What’s Coming Up
2026-2027 Calendars
Here are the calendars for the academic years 2026-2027
Fall (September, October, November)
Break-week 1 = 10/26/26-11/1/26 (Halloween break)
Break-week 2 = 11/23/26-11/29/26 (Thanksgiving break)
Winter (December, January, February)
Break-week 1 = 12/21/26-12/27/26 (Christmas & Winter holiday break)
Break-week 2 = 12/28/26-1/3/27 (New Year’s break)
Spring (March, April, May)
Break-weeks 1 & 2 = 3/22/27-4/4/27 (Easter & Spring break)
Summer (June, July, August)
Break-week 1 = 6/14/27-6/20/27 (Juneteenth & Father’s Day break)
Break-week 2 = 6/28/27-7/4/27 (Independence Day break)
2027-2028
Fall (September, October, November)
Break-week 1 = 10/25/27-10/31/27 (Halloween & Fall Harvest break)
Break-week 2 = 11/22/27-11/28/27 (Thanksgiving break)
Winter (December, January, February)
Break-week 1 = 12/20/27-12/26/27 (Christmas and Winter holiday break)
Break-week 2 = 12/27/27-1/2/28 (New Year’s break)
"Some educational philosophies give you a collection of techniques.
The Dennis Frayne Approach gives you a way of thinking. Once that changes, everything else begins to change naturally."