North Carolina Music Educators Association

DEADLINE: 2025 Grants & Scholarships
2025-03-01
2025 GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
All deadlines March 1
For complete guidelines and application/nomination forms, visit https://ncmea.submittable.com/submit
Details can also be found on the NCMEA website under Programs.

GRANTS for teachers

MUSIC PROGRAM MATERIALS AND/OR PROJECT GRANT – up to $1,000
Provides music teachers an opportunity to purchase materials, supplies (including consumables) or to develop special projects to increase the existing potential for a quality music education program. Deadline 3/1
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT – up to $3,200
Receive funding to organize a professional development opportunity for teachers in your area. Deadline 3/1

SCHOLARSHIPS for students

BARBARA BAIR SCHOLARSHIP – $2,000
Awarded to a graduating North Carolina high school senior who has been accepted by, and will be entering, a North Carolina college or university the following fall as a Music Education major. Deadline 3/1
BILL McCLOUD SCHOLARSHIP – $2,000
Awarded to an active collegiate member of NCMEA who is a resident of North Carolina and who has successfully completed 2 1/2 years in a music education degree program in North Carolina, with a GPA of 3.0. Deadline 3/1
RUTH JEWELL SCHOLARSHIP – $2,000
Awarded to a Music Education major who is a resident of North Carolina attending a North Carolina college or university and who has successfully completed 2 1/2 years in a music education degree program with a GPA of 2.8. Must be able to demonstrate financial need. Deadline 3/1
HORTENSE N. REID-KERR SCHOLARSHIP – $2,000
﻿The Hortense N. Reid-Kerr scholarship is awarded to a Music Education major of a racial or ethnic minority who is a resident of North Carolina attending a North Carolina college or university. Hortense N. Reid-Kerr was the first full-term President of NCMEA and the first minority president of NCMEA (1971-1973). Hortense Reid-Kerr taught at Howard University, an HBCU in Washington D.C. During her tenure at there, she developed several generations of music educators, and although it is not a requirement, students from HBCUs are encouraged to apply. The scholarship is a one-time award of $2,000 and will be paid in a lump sum to the recipient and the college or university at the beginning of the recipient’s senior year. Deadline 3/1

MIOSM® 2025 Spirit Week
2025-03-17 - 2025-03-21

Collegiate Chat #2
2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE UNITE THROUGH MUSIC!

We are tying in with the theme of this year’s Music In Our Schools Month (United Through Music) as we continue to connect with collegiate members across our state. Our next NC Collegiate Chat is scheduled for WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025 AT 7PM. The chat will have a major advocacy focus, including opportunities for collegiates to advocate at the state and national levels through NC’s Arts Day in April and NAfME Hill Day in June 2025.
Your State Officers have invited special guests at the state and national levels to share collegiate advocacy opportunities. Our Super-Star Special Guests include:

Lindsay Williams and Tonya Allison, Co-Chairs, NCMEA MIOSM
Mr. Nate McGaha, Executive Director, Arts North Carolina and Co-Chair of the Creative States Coalition
Mr. Jeremy Tucker, Advocacy Co-Chair, NCMEA; Director of Arts Education, Wake County Public Schools
Mr. James Daugherty, Advocacy Co-Chair, NCMEA; Past-President NCMEA and Southern Division NAfME
Ms. Jazzmone Sutton, Senior Manager for State Advocacy and Equity at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME); Past-President, NCMEA
Dr. Susan Heiserman, Executive Director, NCMEA

No pre-registration is needed – simply click on the link below and join the live chat:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82674612023
This chat will be recorded/archived for future viewing on the NCMEA website. (If you missed it, the January webinar and materials are available on the Collegiate Section page of the NCMEA website).
Please share with your students, colleagues, or other interested parties. ALL advisors, collegiate members, and other interested parties are invited to attend (you do not need to be a member to participate). We want to provide a network of support for all collegiates in NC and promote opportunities to connect, learn from, and discover ways that we can unite through music to support one another throughout the year!

IVfME Webinar: Demystifying Culturally Responsive Music Education
2025-03-22 10:00 - 12:00
FREE To the Public! CEU Credits Available
This session will help music educators understand what culturally responsive music education is (and what it is not) by exploring the most common misconceptions. We will explore the key components of the framework for Culturally Responsive Music Education as well as practical strategies for implementation.
Participants will leave the session with greater clarity about steps they can take in their own music programs and resources for further exploration allowing them to move towards cultivating affirming learning environments and engaging instruction that meets the diverse and ever-evolving needs of today’s learners.

MIOSM® 2025 Collegiate Spirit Week
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-28

Arts NC Webinar: What the Federal is Happening?
2025-03-26 11:00 - 12:00
The news from Washington DC over the last two months has been… well… a lot. There are many questions about how these changes will affect artists and arts organizations. While many of those questions simply do not (yet) have answers, well-considered and informed decisions are preferable to acting in haste.
Join Arts NC Executive Director Nate McGaha on Wednesday, March 26th at 11:00am for “What the Federal is Happening?!?” as he reviews the latest information about Executive Orders and Actions and how they affect the arts including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and more.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/z6jMNfTqQbiyWaEv3bkGWg#/registration
Registration is limited to 100 people, but we will also be streaming the webinar live on the Arts NC Facebook page.
@artsnorthcarolina @ARTSNC #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia #SupportArts #SupportArtsEducation #NCArts #NCArtists #NCArt

Intro to Kodály Training
2025-03-29 10:00 - 15:00 | Christ Episcopal Church, 1412 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC, 28207
Check out this wonderful “Intro to Kodály” Training on Saturday, March 29th, 2025 from @kodalync !! It is being held from 10-3 in Charlotte!! We hope to see you there!!
@ncmea_elem @ncmea #ncmea #kodaly #kodalyinspiredclassroom #elementarymusic #elementarymusicteacher

CMS Music Educator PD Symposium
2025-04-02 14:00 - 17:00 | Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Rd., Charlotte, NC, 28216
FREE PD Opportunity
April 2 – 2:00-5:00 PM
Hosted by Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte
Open to all music educators
Free of charge
CEU credits offered
For more information, see the link below or contact Dr. Tomisha Brock, Music Program Coordinator at tbrock@jcsu.edu or

Guitar Educator Town Hall
2025-04-07 20:15 - 21:15
Register now for the April 7 Guitar Educator Town Hall presented by the NAfME Council for Guitar Education: https://bit.ly/GuitarTownHallApr7
About the town hall: Join the members of NAfME’s Council for Guitar Education as they answer your pedagogical guitar questions. Breakout rooms will be created to specifically address your needs in the classroom.
We want to hear from you! Please complete this short pre-event survey before the town hall: https://bit.ly/GuitarSurvey0407
@ncmea @nafme #puttingthepiecestogether #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia #guitar #guitarteachers

Webinar: What the Federal is Happening?
2025-04-09 11:00 - 12:00
Join Nate McGaha as he discusses and reviews the latest updates and information about Executive Orders and Actions and how they affect the arts, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Ticketing Executive Orders and more.
Please register in advance. Registration is limited to 100 people, but we will also stream the webinar live on the Arts NC Facebook page.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/lnjh-wNSTrqqImn_kUL2XQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawJg_XRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHnbepyG3VyJkXRULs5oXJYmyh4N3wITduK3KvGilRPnuOfsUpMQOOHAKN9ox_aem_XY4jlt_LcGIvNHUPB19xEg#/registration
@artsnorthcarolina @ARTSNC #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia #SupportArts #SupportArtsEducation #NCArts #NCArtists #NCArt

Arts Day 2025
2025-04-22 09:00 - 17:00 | McKimmon Center , 1101 Gorman Street, Raleigh, NC, 27606
Join us on April 22nd to advocate for legislation that supports NC Creative Communities statewide!
Arts North Carolina invites everyone passionate about the arts in North Carolina to join this essential arts gathering.
This is your opportunity to connect with fellow arts advocates, celebrate North Carolina artistic excellence, learn more about important arts-related legislation that impacts our arts communities, and make your voice heard on the value of the arts in North Carolina.
Scholarships are available to arts educators and students. Information about applying can be found on the Arts Day Registration page: artsnc.org/arts-day/arts-day-registration/ and the deadline to apply is April 4.
@artsnorthcarolina @ARTSNC #ncmea #nafme #puttingthepiecestogether #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia #ArtsDay2025 #SupportArts #SupportArtsEducation #NCArts #NCArtists #NCArt

NAfME FREE General Music Virtual Conference
2025-04-26 11:00 - 16:00
Check out the awesome VIRTUAL conference held by NAfME General Music!! The event is this Saturday, April 26th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Link to register is below, on the @NAfME website, as well as their bio. Also, the schedule is below.
This event is organized by NAfME’s Council for General Music Education in collaboration with organizations representing a variety of well-known general music education approaches. The event features live virtual sessions (sessions are also recorded for additional access after the event) on the Zoom Events platform. Participants will have opportunities to learn from and interact with clinicians/experienced music educators from multiple general music approaches and learn about key issues and trends of interest to general music educators. In addition to sessions of interest to all general music educators, some sessions will focus on 4th – 8th grade music lessons.
This event is free, but registration is required.
https://nafme.org/event/3rd-annual-nafme-general-music-virtual-mini-conference/
NAfME Conference Agenda
11:00 a.m. Welcome
(Stephanie Benischek, Chair, NAfME Council for General Music Education)
11:10 – 11:40 a.m. Dalcroze Eurhythmics and Popular Music
Presenter: Marla Butke
11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Masterful Musicianship for My Students?
Presenter: Georgia Newlin
12:20 – 12:50 p.m. Creativity with Cultural Integrity Using the World Music Pedagogy Approach
Presenter: William Coppola
12:50 – 1:20 p.m. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Using Circle Drumming to Reach Students from Diverse Backgrounds
Presenter: Amy Spears
12:20 – 12:50 p.m. Music as a Second Language
Presenter: Mary Claxton
12:50 – 1:20 p.m. Popular Music and the Orff-Keetman Approach
Presenter: Martina Vasil
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Dichos, Rimas, y Proverbios, Oh My! Improvising Through Students’ Culture with Language
Presenter: Victor Lozada
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Level Up Your Meter Game: A Dalcroze Lesson for Upper Elementary
Presenter: Lauren Hodgson
2:40 – 3:10 p.m. Forays into Functional Harmony: An MLT Approach to Harmony for Accompanying, Improvising, and Composing
Presenter: Herbert Marshall
3:10 – 3:40 p.m. Musical Thinking Games and Techniques for the Feier-Drill
Presenter: John Crever
3:40 – 3:50 p.m. Write for the Journal of General Music Education
Presenter: Kendra Kay Friar
3:50 – 4:00 Wrap up/Certificate Information
@ncmea @ncmea_elem #puttingthepiecestogether #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #DEIA #generalmusic #musicconference

FREE KONC Music Teacher Sip & Share
2025-04-27 16:00 - 17:00
SURVIVING THE YEAR
FREE KONC Music Teacher Sip & Share
Sunday, April 27th
4:00pm
Come hang out with us virtually!
Grab your beverage of choice and join us on Google Meet. We will share ideas for surviving, and maybe even thriving, to the end of the school year. We can guarantee a little fun, a little laughter, and some tips and tricks to make the last month of school fun!
We would love to see you there!
https://meet.google.com/exh-wnbv-ktv

DEADLINE: HS Choral Conference Performance Application
2025-05-01
The deadline for 2025 Applications is midnight on May 1. All application materials, including recordings and documents, are due at this time.
Recording submissions will be judged by a blind panel of high school and collegiate choral educators.
Teachers will be notified by June 1 of application results.
* Please contact Performing Choirs Chair, Ethan Price, with any questions regarding this application. hsperformingchoirs@ncmea.net

HS Choral Annual Spring Membership Meeting
2025-05-01 19:30 - 20:30
Join the NCMEA High School Choral Section for the Annual Spring Membership Meeting to get updates on what’s happening in the upcoming year.
To join, visit the link that will be sent to your email registered with NCMEA.
@ncmea @nafme @ncmea_hschoral @ncmea_mschoral #puttingthepiecestogether #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #DEIA

Elementary Mini-Conference 2025
2025-05-03 | Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers Street, Boone, NC, 28608
The 2025 Elementary Mini-Conference will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Appalachian State University in Broyhill Music Center.Check out the sessions and register below.
MINI-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
@ncmea_elem
#elementaryncmea
#ncmea
#nafme
#puttingthepiecestogether
#musiceducation
#musicadvocacy
#deia

NAfME Collegiate Leadership Advocacy Summit
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-11 | Reston, Virginia, Reston, VA
Save the Date for this year’s NAfME Collegiate Leadership Advocacy Summit happening June 9-11 in Reston, Virginia! Collaborate during leadership-centric learning sessions, connect with leaders in the profession and advocate for music education on Capitol Hill at this one-of-a-kind event.
Renew your NAfME Collegiate membership and keep an eye on bit.ly/NAfMECLAS for details. Collegiate membership is good through June 30 each year.
Email: collegiate@nafme.org
Call:

DEADLINE: Award Nominations
2025-06-15
Award season is upon us and it’s time to send in your nominations. The following awards are now open for submissions until midnight, June 15:

(NEW!) Lisa Runner Future Music Educator: https://forms.gle/PQHKcKhCZDUnzGZj8
Honor Administrator: https://forms.gle/t7qiAafxoMT2WKhe8
Pat Hall Music Educator Advocate: https://forms.gle/pHaeR274UVRgCDPV7
Hall of Fame: https://forms.gle/v8CUq5mJhQgfxwva8

@ncmea @nafme #puttingthepiecestogether #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #DEIA

Exhibitor Registration Opens
2025-06-16 - 2025-08-31 | Benton Convention Center, 301 W Fifth St, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, United States
Exhibitor registration opens at 12:00pm EDT on Monday, June 16th.
More detailed information found on the Exhibitor Registration Page on the NCMEA website.
Join the Exhibitor Email List for the latest information on future Conferences.

International Choral Composers Institute
2025-07-14 - 2025-07-18 | Levine Conference Center, 20 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC, 28202
WELCOME TO THE
INTERNATIONAL CHORAL COMPOSERS INSTITUTE
(ICCI)
with emphasis on Music for Developing Choirs
Charlotte, NC
July 14-18, 2025 – Levine Conference Center
Concert Friday at 7:00 p.m. – CPCC Parr Center Theater
This institute will be in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Levine Conference Center from July 14-18, 2025. Classes will be during the day from 9-5 (EDT), and evenings will be reserved for composing, socializing/collaborating with other composers, and dining. A virtual option is also being offered.
The free, final concert including select music by participants and our headlining composers-in-residence will take place on Friday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) Transportation to this venue will be provided by ICCI.
All instructors speak English as their primary language. Other languages spoken by at least one instructor: Italian, German, and French.

Conference 2025 Registration Now Open
2025-08-02 - 2025-11-11 | Benton Convention Center, 301 W Fifth St, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, United States
REGISTER NOW

PD Conference Scholarship Applications Open
2025-08-15 | Benton Convention Center, 301 W Fifth St, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, United States
The Professional Development Conference Scholarship is intended to provide grant funding to NCMEA members attending the NCMEA Professional Development Conference for the first time. The purpose of this grant is to encourage membership in NCMEA and to encourage yearly participation in the NCMEA Professional Development Conference for the length of a career.
Three scholarships will be awarded each year. The scholarship funds will cover the cost of conference registration and three nights in the conference hotel. The estimated value of each scholarship is $600. Individuals may receive the scholarship only once in their lifetime.
The scholarship is intended for NCMEA members who are first-time attendees to the NCMEA Professional Development Conference (does not include first-year teachers who are a part of the mentor program). The scholarship does not cover the cost of membership dues nor the cost of substitute teachers for the period of the conference. Preference will be given to teachers who are employed in a Title-I school or who provide evidence of strong institutional and/or personal financial need.

DEADLINE: Research Presentations
2025-08-15
The NCMEA Research Committee is pleased to announce calls for research posters and student research lightning talks to be presented at the 2025 NCMEA Professional Development Conference.
For either a poster or lightning talk, researchers should provide an abstract of no more than 500 words that provides an overview of the research goals, questions, methods, findings, and implications. For more details refer to the Research Committee web page.
Submissions must be received by Monday, September 15, 2025, 11:59pm EDT. Authors will be notified of acceptance by September 30, 2025.
Inquiries about submissions and proposals should be directed to:
Jonathan Poquette, D.M.A.
NCMEA Research Chair
research_chair@ncmea.net

New Teacher Bootcamp
2025-08-19 19:00 - 21:00
New and early-career teachers: are you ready for a classroom full of students?
We encourage you to attend our upcoming New Teacher Bootcamp session for networking, best practices and advice to prepare you for a successful start to the year.
Hear from experienced teachers about classroom management, working with administration, recruiting, fundraising, curriculum, the NCMEA Mentoring program and much more!
Bootcamp is Tuesday, August 19th from 7-9 PM.
Brought to you by the Mentoring Program Committee.
Register here: https://shorturl.at/w98w4
#NCMEA #MusicEducation #beyondthenotes #shapingourfuture #nafme #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia

DEADLINE: Journal Content - Conference Edition
2025-09-01
Just a quick reminder that the journal content is needed by September 1. Feel free to get your updates to me before September 1, and trickle everything else to me as you get it by September 1.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Kim
journal_editor@ncmea.net

Comprehensive Arts Education Conference
2025-09-06 | Ligon Magnet Middle School, 706 E Lenoir St, Raleigh, NC, 27601
Spend the day engaging with colleagues in Music, Dance, Theatre, and Visual Arts Education! Register to attend the CAE Conference at Ligon Magnet Middle School on Saturday, September 6th!
One CEU awarded.
go.ncdpi.gov/CAEC-25Reg
@ncartsed #NCMEA #MusicEducation #beyondthenotes #shapingourfuture #nafme #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia

FREE - NCMEA Leadership Academy
2025-09-13 10:00 - 12:00
Ready to take your passion for music education to the next level?
Join us for a FREE Virtual Leadership Workshop designed for North Carolina music educators who want to get more involved with NCMEA. Your presenters are Connie McKoy, Maribeth Yoder-White and Jazzmone Sutton.
Saturday, Sept 13
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Hosted online – come as you are!
Whether you’re interested in leadership, advocacy, or community-building, this session will help you discover the many ways to serve and grow within NCMEA.
Free to attend – register now!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/nUDC6QpqQ3ivaoUcj3jEtA
Let’s shape the future of music education—together.
#NCMEA #MusicEducation #LeadershipWorkshop #MusicTeachers #NCMusicEd #GrowWithNCMEA #beyondthenotes #shapingourfuture #nafme #musiced #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #deia

Application Deadline for First-Time Conference Scholarships
2025-10-01 | Benton Convention Center, 301 W Fifth St, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, United States
The Professional Development Conference Scholarship is intended to provide grant funding to NCMEA members attending the NCMEA Professional Development Conference for the first time. The purpose of this grant is to encourage membership in NCMEA and to encourage yearly participation in the NCMEA Professional Development Conference for the length of a career.
Three scholarships will be awarded each year. The scholarship funds will cover the cost of conference registration and three nights in the conference hotel. The estimated value of each scholarship is $600. Individuals may receive the scholarship only once in their lifetime.
The scholarship is intended for NCMEA members who are first-time attendees to the NCMEA Professional Development Conference (does not include first-year teachers who are a part of the mentor program). The scholarship does not cover the cost of membership dues nor the cost of substitute teachers for the period of the conference. Preference will be given to teachers who are employed in a Title-I school or who provide evidence of strong institutional and/or personal financial need.
Awardees will be asked to share a written reflection on what they learned at the conference and how they implemented it in their classroom. Reflections may be used by NCMEA in print or online communications.
Application Requirements:

Applicant must have current membership in NCMEA
Applicant must be employed full time in a music teaching position in North Carolina
Application with a signature from current principal
Two letters of recommendation

Selection Process:

Application process opens on August 15th of each year.
Application deadline is October 1st.
A committee appointed by the NCMEA President and approved by the NCMEA Board of Directors will review applications for possible approval.
The Executive Director shall notify all applicants of their acceptance or rejection by October 15th.

APPLICATION FORM

Webinar - Shaping Behavior with "ABC" and "STOP" Techniques - Part 1
2025-10-04 10:00 - 12:00
Shaping Behavior with “ABC” and “STOP” Techniques – Part 1
October 4, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Presenter: Dr. Elaine Bernstorf
Fall brings opportunities to reframe our teaching approaches. It also brings new students and their personal learning behaviors. Even students we have taught for years change and have challenges as they mature, or don’t. By October all students shape their personal dynamics within a group.
Part 1 (Oct 4), THIS WEBINAR, explores common music classroom behaviors, including disruptions, as we use an ABC analysis model to explore behavior functions for difficult or disruptive behaviors.
Part 2 (Oct 18), BELOW, uses the STOP principle (an intervention designed by occupational therapists) to shape student behaviors and inform teacher planning using executive function decisions to support success. References and suggested resources will be included.
Elaine Bernstorf is Professor of Music Education at Wichita State University. With degrees in Special Music Education and a PhD in Communicative Disorders and Sciences, her specializations include elementary music, special music education, and speech pathology (voice, fluency, autism and child language), literacy development, and curriculum development. She co-authored The Music and Literacy Connection (2004, 2014, in press). She has published several book chapters, presented and served internationally and nationally including ISME, ISAME, NAfME, OAKE, ECMMA, Arts Education Partnership and the Leadership Network for Arts Education & Special Needs. In 2017, she was inducted in the Kansas Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.
Dr. Elaine Bernstorf
Wichita State University, Wichita KS
@ncmea @nafme #beyondthenotes #shapingourfuture #musiceducation #musicadvocacy #ivfme #deia

Application Deadline for Collegiate Conference Scholarships
2025-10-10 17:00
NCMEA’s 2025 Collegiate Conference Scholarships will cover the cost of conference registration ($50) for up to 36 deserving Collegiate NAfME members with demonstrated financial need. Scholarship recipients are expected to participate in conference sessions for a minimum of two days and are encouraged to attend the Collegiate Business Meeting on Sunday, November 9th at 5:30 PM.
All collegiate members with financial need are welcome to apply; collegiate students who are first-time conference attendees will receive priority. Please note that this scholarship award does not cover NAfME/NCMEA Membership which is required to attend the conference. Please visit https://nafme.org/join-renew/ to join or renew your membership before submitting your application.
