president's message

President's Welcome to MACCC – 2026

Greetings MACCC Colleagues and Friends!

It is an honor to begin my term as President of the Music Association of California Community Colleges (MACCC) and to serve an organization that has spent more than seven decades bringing together music educators from across our state.

As a music educator at Fullerton College, and as a clarinetist myself, I know firsthand the extraordinary work happening every day in California’s community college music programs. Our faculty wear many hats: teachers, conductors, performers, mentors, recruiters, curriculum developers, advocates, and often whatever else the day requires. Through all of those roles, we share a common purpose: creating meaningful musical opportunities for students and ensuring that community college music remains accessible, vibrant, and strong.

That shared purpose is what makes MACCC so special. Our organization connects colleagues across disciplines, institutions, and regions while giving us a collective voice on the issues affecting music education throughout California. Just as importantly, MACCC gives us opportunities to learn from one another, support one another, and celebrate the remarkable students at the center of our work.

I am especially excited for our 2026 MACCC Conference in San Diego, November 19–21. Our annual conference remains one of the best opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, exchange ideas, advocate for our programs, and make some music together. It also provides our students with the unforgettable experience of rehearsing and performing alongside musicians from community colleges throughout California in our intercollegiate ensembles.

As we look toward the year ahead, I hope MACCC continues to be both a resource and a community for California community college music educators. Our profession is constantly evolving, and the challenges facing our programs are real. But so are the creativity, expertise, and dedication of the people doing this work. When we bring those people together, we are stronger advocates for our disciplines, our programs, and most importantly, our students.

I am grateful to Margaret Worsley of Riverside City College for her leadership as President and to the members of our Board who continue to give their time and energy to this organization. I am excited to build upon the work of those who have served before me while finding new ways for MACCC to support, connect, and advocate for our statewide music community.

Whether you have been involved with MACCC for decades or are just discovering the organization, I hope you will join us. Attend the conference. Bring your students. Share what is happening at your college. Get involved. MACCC is strongest when the many voices of California community college music are represented.

I look forward to seeing you in San Diego this November and to all that we will accomplish together in the year ahead.

Warmly,

David Lopez
President, Music Association of California Community Colleges
Fullerton College