The summer equinox is upon us, meaning music educators probably find themselves with a lot more free time on their hands.
But good news, overachievers (we’re assuming that’s all of you teachers reading this right now):
More free time means more opportunities to prep for the months ahead.
Why not get a jump on the 2025/2026 season? Maybe find new paths toward expanding your knowledge, growing your business, and honing your teaching skills?
Excellent call.
Let’s get you started with an overview of some upcoming music educator conferences that can help further your personal, musical, and professional goals.
Here’s our rundown of six top-tier conferences slated for late 2025 through summer 2026. We’re hoping these selections provide a useful window into where, when, and how you can maximize your learning and networking efforts from now until next July.
SMTE Symposium on Music Teacher Education
Dates: October 23-25, 2025
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Theme: “Advancing an Inclusive Community: Renew, Reinvigorate, Recharge”
With a reported roster of over 58,000 educators and advocates as well as a history stretching back to 1907, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) represents a powerful voice in modern music ed. Members enjoy a host of scholastic perks––from exclusive periodicals to teaching guides, live webinars, and more––and NAfME-associated events command high-profile headliners such as pedagogist Dr. Carla Shalaby and multi-hyphenate composer, producer, and scholar Dr. José Valentino Ruiz.
This fall, the organization’s affiliate Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE) will hold its biennial symposium at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. Registration information and scheduling have yet to be finalized, but logistical details and a list of local amenities can be found here.
Fair warning: SMTE seems to target classroom educators as opposed to studio teachers, and 2023’s Salt Lake City symposium featured several talks and papers surrounding teacher training and pre-service. Still, many events were applicable to music education as a whole, and studio instructors will no doubt uncover more than a few actionable takeaways should they head to Indianapolis this October.
For a sense of what might be on offer in 2025, here’s a sampling of 2023’s posters and presentations:
- A case study review entitled “Working with Students with Disabilities in Self-Contained and Mainstream Settings: Implications for Music Teacher Education,” detailing how subjects modified their teaching “strategies” in order to accommodate and “support” pupils with disability.
- A discussion on “Celebrating Student Culture in Instrumental Music,” examining the lack of diversity and inclusion in standard method books and how pre-service instrumental teachers can build “culturally relevant” resources to create a more representative and collaborative environment for students.
- “A Reimaging of Popular Music Engagement in General Music Teacher Education,” covering how pop music pedagogy can reinforce unfair biases and exploring ways in which popular pieces can be taught and analyzed using fresh, non-traditional perspectives.
Eastman School of Music Context Conference 2025
Dates: November 6-8, 2025
Location: Rochester, NY
Theme: “Resonate: The Best Harmony Takes All of Us"
Founded in 2023, Eastman’s recurring Context Conference is the brainchild of Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle, director of the conservatory’s George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion in Music, which champions “inclusive practices” throughout all aspects of musicianship across the globe. Presented this season by the Walker Center along with Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership and the Rochester Philharmonic, the 2025 Context Conference is likewise spearheaded by Dr. Battle and will feature a keynote address from award-winning artist Omar Thomas, whose experience and talents in contemporary jazz have led him to professorship and faculty positions at Berklee College of Music, The Peabody Institute, and The University of Texas at Austin.
In her recent announcement message, Dr. Battle stressed the 2025 conference is “for anyone…interested in engaging in conversation and learning more about the future [, including] K-12 educators, collegiate music educators, semi- and professional music and arts organizations, community music schools, faith-based organizations [,] and private music studios of all sizes.” She also notes the conference will be structured around five foundational topics:
- “Curricular Shift & Innovation” – A look at sparking community response through music performance and education.
- “Repertoire Expansion & Performance Practice” – How to diversify repertoire in ways that are both meaningful and authentic.
- “Community Engagement” – Harnessing music to engage and expand audiences while enhancing communal ties.
- “Recruitment & Retention” – Promoting safety and support for all musicians and music community members, particularly in terms of retention and recruitment for performers, staff, faculty, students, etc.
- “Pathways to the Future” – How the collective work of musicmaking can be leveraged to prepare future performers and attract new, enthusiastic audiences.
SAA/ASTA 2026 Collocated Conference
Dates: February 25-28, 2026
Location: San Francisco, CA
Theme: “Embracing the Future: Practicing Creativity, Curiosity, and Compassion”
On the heels of their first “collocated” collaboration in 2024, the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) will join forces once again, offering a double conference in San Francisco next February. Founded ostensibly to accommodate SAA and ASTA’s overlap in “membership and educational missions,” the dual summit has yet to produce a full 2026 schedule, though each participating organization will likely sponsor its own separate calendar of events. (Still, attendees can expect certain speakers and/or performers to serve double duty, as when celebrated violinist Vijay Gupta and the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra provided a single keynote presentation for both SAA and ASTA in 2024.)
Would-be registrants take note: Though strings will play an important role, they probably won’t be the sole focus of the conference, particularly as the Suzuki Association famously supports instruction across a variety of instrumental groups, including voice. For the curious, a detailed program for SAA/ASTA’s 2024 conference can be found online. But for those in favor of instant gratification, examples of 2024 event titles include:
- “Anticipating and Planning for Challenges Faced by Students in Low-Income Households” (SAA panel)
- “Empowering Individuality: Discovering Your Unique Voice in String Education” (ASTA talk)
- “Expanding Your Field of Awareness: Integrative Alexander Technique for Music Teachers” (SAA workshop and lecture)
- “From Opponents to Teammates: Helping Parents and Caregivers Reduce Conflict in the Practice Room” (SAA workshop and lecture)
- “Late Bloomers: Teaching Beginning Violinists in High School and Beyond” (ASTA “listen and learn” session)
- “Student Transformation through Repertoire in the Violin Studio Recital” (ASTA “listen and learn” session)
- “Supercharge Your Studio: Building Community through Iconic Suzuki Experiences” (SAA workshop and lecture)
- “Unlocking the Strengths of Neurodivergent Learners” (SAA workshop and lecture)
MTNA National Conference 2026
Dates: March 21-25, 2026
Location: Chicago, IL
With its 19th-century roots and comprehensive list of premium business resources and member benefits, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) needs no formal introduction among our readers. And while the organization’s annual meetup has already taken place in Minneapolis earlier this year, planning is now officially underway for MTNA’s 2026 National Conference, which will mark the federation’s 150th anniversary.
Presenters and performers are currently TBD, but 2025’s schedule suggests attendees will be able to choose from a wealth of master classes, poster sessions, pedagogy talks, concerts, competitions, and more––all catering to both collegiate and independent music teachers. Plus, 2026 proposal guidelines indicate topics of discussion will cover diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging; pedagogy and technique; chamber and/or collaborative musicmaking; group teaching; and business strategies, among others.
NATS 2026
Dates: July 3-6, 2026
Location: San Antonio, TX
Theme: “Our Mosaic of Music”
For vocalists, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) is as ubiquitous a name as “Pavarotti” or “Beyoncé.” NATS competitions are a professional gateway drug for singers on the rise, and the organization carries near-instant clout among the voice teaching set.
So, when it comes to conferences, they can certainly bring the proverbial “it.”
Sadly, however, the NATS National Conference only comes around once every two years, meaning interested parties will have to wait a little while for the next one. Confirmed for July 2026 in San Antonio, the conference has yet to release its schedule of “educational programs, demonstrations, lectures, master classes [,] and competitions,” but, if past lineups are any indication, 2026 registrants are in for an informative treat.
Craving additional context? We’ve got you.
2024 NATS conference events included:
- A keynote address and accompanying session on empathetic intersectionality and its educational applications by acclaimed development expert and Cultural Connections by Design founder Dr. Nicole R. Robinson.
- A performance class from superstar tenor Lawrence Brownlee.
- A workshop on Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) to practice mindfulness and navigate anxiety and negative self-talk during singing.
- A breakout session on the art songs of East Asia.
Voice teachers can probably look forward to a similar program in Texas, featuring equally renowned guests and covering “diverse and indigenous musical traditions” as well as our “shared musical heritage” and the ways in which vocal music helps bridge cultural divides.
And speaking of bridges…
The 37th ISME World Conference 2026
Dates: July 26-31, 2026
Location: Montréal, QC
Theme: “Unity in Music Education: Building Bridges for All”
UNESCO affiliate International Society for Music Education (ISME) constitutes a worldwide federation of music educators dedicated to encouraging “formal and informal music education programs” rooted in compassionate multiculturalism.
But you probably already knew that.
What you might not know, however, is that ISME’s latest World Conference (the organization is linked to several regional conferences but, as far as we can tell, this is the biggest) is returning to North America in 2026 after a long hiatus. Chaired by a team of representatives from the Canadian Music Educators’ Association, the Canadian Coalition for Music Education, and the Université du Québec à Montréal, among other organizations, the conference promises a reaffirmation of ISME’s “mission to foster a global music education community that is inclusive, innovative, and connected” in a space where “Indigenous, French, and English cultures intertwine.”
Past ISME World Conferences have been held in places as far flung as Baku, Glasgow, and Thessaloniki, and each event appears to use the native music and history of its host city as inspiration for broader conversations regarding music ed and its global potential.
Parting Thoughts
Got a conference recommendation of your own? Let us know.
Have a past conference memory you wish to share? Tell us all about it here. We’d love to hear how a conference visit transformed your teaching technique and/or provided you with new tools for sharing and developing your love of music.
Decided to register for one of the events above? Get in touch after the festivities and tell us how it went. (We’ll use your on-the-ground info to help improve our recommendations next year.)
Till then, soak up that summer break, teachers. And don’t forget to work in a little self-care as you ready yourself for fall.
