Exciting Developments for Uplevel U: Music in 2026

Reflecting on a Challenging Year

Uplevel U: Music faced a challenging year. The first five months showed promising growth, aligning with our plans for course and resource expansion. However, June brought an unexpected setback. The owner and creator of Music Room and Uplevel U: Music experienced the sudden loss of her husband.

While her usual response to grief is to dive into work, the reality of widowhood took precedence. Grieving a spouse can make creative endeavors feel daunting. It’s tough to maintain that bubbly, energetic presence on camera when life feels heavy.

This personal loss led to a three-month delay in course releases. The anticipated Grades K-8 Music Curriculum course was originally scheduled for October or November but is now expected by the end of January.

The Courses Released in 2025

Despite the challenges, we successfully launched several courses in 2025. One notable release was **My Orchestra Doesn’t Squeak: Perfect String Technique by Middle School**. This course is based on decades of research and refinement. Kay breaks down lesson plans to make teaching orchestral string techniques easy and fun, encouraging lasting habits among students.

Another exciting addition is **Character Development and Stage Presence for Theater Educators**. This course marks Uplevel U: Music's entry into theater education. It offers various strategies for teachers to help students develop memorable characters at all levels.

Next, we introduced **Vocal Pedagogy for Non-Voice Majors**. This course is designed for teachers primarily trained in band or orchestra. College prep programs often leave instrumental teachers unprepared for general music and choral settings. This course addresses vocal challenges young singers face, providing teachers with effective strategies to support their students.

Lastly, **Teaching Students to Integrate Singing and Expression** combines the focus on technique and character development. It helps teachers guide students in expressing themselves through singing, which can be quite challenging.

Addition of Free and Low-Cost Resources

Uplevel U: Music aims to provide small teaching resources for those not ready to commit to a full course. Each new resource starts as a free offering and eventually costs a minimal amount. The resources released in 2025 include:

• The Metronome Game

• Teaching Your Students to Use Fakebooks and Lead Sheets

• Critical Listening in the General Music Classroom

• Helping Students to Love and Appreciate Scales

• The Audience Etiquette Skit

  
  

Each resource comes with an explanation video and materials needed to teach each topic. Visit this link to explore and download these valuable tools!

Expanding Uplevel U: Music’s Reach in 2026

Any important project is valuable, but its worth is diminished without visibility. **Uplevel U: Music** is actively expanding its outreach to performing arts educators across the United States. To date, thousands of music educators have received emails introducing them to Uplevel U: Music and how it can support their teaching journey.

While this outreach may seem cold, we’ve invested months into researching and planning to ensure our approach is ethical, non-intrusive, and genuinely helpful. When teachers receive our emails, they also get access to an **Interactive Catalog**. This live document is updated regularly with new offerings from Uplevel U: Music, including helpful links, descriptions, objectives, and base prices for each course.

Since Uplevel U: Music operates online, strengthening our online presence is crucial. We’ve been adding content to our **Blog**, releasing articles about twice a month. These articles cover pressing issues in music education and provide insights into upcoming courses. Complementing the blog is the **Uplevel U: Music podcast**, which releases episodes during the blog’s off weeks. Hearing Kay’s voice offers potential course participants a glimpse into the instruction style they can expect.

Our social media presence has also grown. The **Music Room / Uplevel U: Music Facebook Page** shares news relevant to our vibrant music studio, showcasing the diverse instruction Kay provides daily. For those who prefer a more focused experience, the **Uplevel U: Music Facebook Group** is updated regularly with blog and podcast updates, new course releases, promotions, and other music-related content.

Music Room's logo that projects the same ideology into Uplevel U: Music

What's Next for Uplevel U: Music in 2026?

Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be an exciting year for Uplevel U: Music. Our marketing project is back in full swing after the holidays, with thousands of teachers ready to receive emails introducing the interactive catalog.

We’ll continue updating the blog and podcast as usual, along with maintaining our presence on Facebook and Instagram. As funds allow, we’ll explore additional ideas to enhance our offerings. With our marketing systems in place, we can focus more on what Uplevel U: Music is all about: creating valuable courses.

What Courses Are In the Works for 2026?

If everything goes according to plan, we expect to complete Phase 1 of course releases by mid-2026. This phase will include five new courses related to general music, improvisation, theater, and dance.

We also have plans for more free and low-cost resources on various topics. At least three additional resources are in the pipeline. Does this mean our content development will stop here? Absolutely not! Kay is open to suggestions for other course and resource topics for the second phase, set to begin in 2027. Once we release all planned courses and resources, our focus will shift to marketing, helping Uplevel U: Music gain traction among performing arts teachers both nationally and globally.

So What Can We Really Look Forward To?

The primary goal for 2026 is to regain momentum after a turbulent 2025. We’re already working on finishing Phase 1’s release plans and expanding our outreach. If you’re reading this, you can help us in just a few seconds! Start by sharing the **Interactive Catalog** with your colleagues. Engage in conversations about how beneficial professional development can be, even from the comfort of your home. Together, we can make **Uplevel U: Music** the go-to resource for professional development among performing arts teachers worldwide!

This article was written by Music Room/Uplevel U: Music's owner and creator, Karen (Kay) Janiszewski. This article was written by Music Room/Uplevel U: Music's owner and creator, Karen (Kay) Janiszewski.

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