Nebraska C-NAFME

2026 COLLEGIATE HILL DAY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION

All Nebraska collegiate NAfME chapters are invited to join us at the Capitol Building in Lincoln to advocate in support of music education policy and equitable access for all students to music education in the classroom. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about our state legislature, visit with state representatives, and see firsthand how we as music educators can advocate for our students and art form. 

The date for the next Collegiate Hill Day for Music Education in 2026 has not been released yet. Please check back later for that information.

2025 COLLEGIATE SYMPOSIUM

The 2025 Collegiate Symposium will be held on Thursday, November 20 at the Cornhusker Hotel in downtown Lincoln. Registration is $27 per student and includes tickets to the Awards Dinner on Friday, November 21. Lunch is NOT included. Please download and complete the registration form below. Registration forms are due November 3.

Download the Collegiate Symposium Registration Form

SYMPOSIUM SESSION INFORMATION

Resiliency: Navigating the preservice music education program
Presenter: Chad Zullinger
1:45pm, CH Hawthorne

There are overarching expectations set by preservice music education programs and the undergraduate music education experience. In some cases, students either conform to these expectations or discover and express their unique voice, offering their own perspectives and musical identities as they prepare to enter the profession. Come to this session as we think together how best to navigate preservice music teacher education and address the realities of the classrooms and students will engage with as future music educators.

Dr. Chad Zullinger is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Sacramento State University and serves as President of the California Music Educators Association (CMEA). He earned his B.M. in Composition at San Francisco State University, a M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Delaware, and D.M.A. in Music Education at Boston University. Dr. Zullinger is a self-taught guitarist who grew up participating in small groups (rock bands), in and outside of school, as well as creating music at computer workstations using MIDI keyboards, devices, and software. He pursued music studies in college and has taught a variety of classes including band, chorus, and popular music performance in public school settings.Dr. Zullinger has presented and engaged with numerous NAfME State organizations around the country. He encourages session participants and his students to engage reflexively, creatively, and critically to consider relationships among music technologies, practice, and the types of impact they might make in their own communities, as well as on the overarching fields of music teaching and learning.

Sticking the Landing: Searching, Applying, Interviewing, and Obtaining a K-12 Music Position
Presenter: Dave Sanderson
1:45pm, CH Arbor 1

This session will guide aspiring K-12 music educators through the comprehensive process of securing a teaching position. Participants will learn how to locate job postings and leverage networking opportunities to discover openings. The session will explain the details of job postings and the application requirements for different districts. Attendees will receive tips on crafting standout resumes and cover letters. Additionally, the session will cover interview preparation, including common questions and best practices for presenting oneself professionally. Finally, participants will learn how to evaluate job offers and make informed decisions. By the end of the session, attendees will have the knowledge and tools to successfully navigate the job market and secure a position in K-12 music education.

David N. Sanderson is the Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of South Dakota. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education and music technology, co-directs the USD Concert Band, and advises the Collegiate NAfME chapter. Dr. Sanderson currently holds leadership roles in the Society for Music Teacher Education and the South Dakota Music Education Association. He earned a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and he holds M.M. and B.M.E. degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While in Minneapolis, MN he was a graduate instructor at the University of Minnesota, an adjunct professor at Augsburg College, and directed the Seward Community Concert Band. He began his career teaching instrumental, vocal, and general music at Lincoln North Star High School in Lincoln, NE.

You Don't Know What You Don't Know: Learning from Experience
Presenter: Kelsey Helton
1:45pm, CH Arbor 2

After ten years, Kelsey Helton has "seen some stuff." Join her on a roller coaster of stories, tips and tricks, and suggestions for elementary and middle school music teaching. Pre-service and new teachers will leave with ideas on professionalism, building your portfolio, building a program, how to handle difficult (and weird, and funny) experiences. You won't know everything, but you will leave learning a little bit more!

Kelsey Helton is an elementary music teacher in Texas. She is a proud graduate of Kansas State University and holds trainings and certifications in Orff 1, Kodaly 1, World Music Drumming, Mariachi, World Music Pedagogy, and First Steps in Music. Her favorite things to teach are recorder and the instrument families. Kelsey has presented around the country and writes professionally for Music ConstructED.

Expanding Your Professional Toolbox: Tools to Help You Thrive as a New Teacher
Presenter: Alex Wimmer
3:00pm, CH Hawthorne

With the demands of teaching music majors the nuts and bolts of pedagogy, sometimes the professional aspects of being a teacher are overlooked. This session aims to provide soon-to-be teachers a perceptive on techniques and practices that can elevate their professionalism as a new teacher, expanding their ever-growing toolbox to help maintain and sustain a healthy career. Come and see how these tools will help collegiate students start their teaching careers thriving and not just surviving.

Dr. Alex Wimmer is currently serving as the Associate Director of Bands at Kansas State University. His duties include directing the Wind Symphony, Cat Band (basketball pep band), Pub Crawl Band, Associate Marching Band Director for the Pride of Wildcat Land (KSUMB), arranger and drill designer for the KSUMB, and instructor of undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, arranging, and marching band techniques. He also coordinates the K-State Summer Music Camp and K-State Leadership and Auxiliary Camp, serves as one of the Assistant Directors of the Manhattan Municipal Band, and is the faculty sponsor for Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Dr. Wimmer is the Past-President of the Kansas Bandmasters Association. He also serves as a co-chair of the New Band Director Bootcamp during the Kansas Bandmasters Association’s annual convention.

Habits of a Successful Beginner Musician
Presenter: Jeff Scott
3:00pm, CH Arbor 1

This session will focus on highly effective techniques and resources for the beginning band director. Particular focus will be given to rhythm development, pedagogical techniques, rehearsal techniques, curriculum and pacing that produce the highest level of mastery for beginning band musicians. This session is appropriate for all middle school or elementary band directors as well as college students interested in teaching beginner students.

Jeff Scott is the Middle School Lead for the Habits of Success series published by GIA Publications. Mr. Scott was formerly the Director of Bands at Cario Middle School in Mount Pleasant, SC for the past 23 years. Bands under Mr. Scott's direction have received exclusively Superior ratings at all State, Regional and National festivals for the past 34 years and have received the South Carolina Outstanding Performance Award each of the past 34 years. Mr. Scott is a clinician for GIA and has presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago five times.

It’s a Hoot to Toot!: Reducing Cognitive Overload for Beginning Recorder Players
Presenter: Morgan Brown
3:00pm, CH Arbor 2

Learning the recorder can be overwhelming for elementary students, as they must juggle treble clef reading, rhythm reading, new fingerings, and playing techniques. This cognitive overload often leads to frustration and behavioral issues. In this session, we’ll explore ways to break down recorder instruction by isolating each skill—fingerings, treble clef, and rhythm. Using a singing-first approach based on the Orff Schulwerk principle of experiencing before labeling, we’ll help students build confidence gradually. By the end of the session, teachers will have a few pieces of beginner recorder music that has been processed through this method and the tools to apply it to future lessons.

Morgan Brown is an enthusiastic and dedicated music educator. She holds a B.M. in Music Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (2005) and is an AOSA-certified Orff Schulwerk teacher. After teaching junior high choir and middle school general music in Norfolk, NE, Morgan took time to raise her children while teaching homeschool music classes. She successfully secured grants for Orff instruments and ukuleles, enriching her students' musical experiences. Morgan is currently in her third year at Bellevue Elementary, where she has earned two grants for ukuleles and pBuzz instruments. She completed Orff Schulwerk Level III in 2024 and Kodály Level I in 2023, with plans to pursue Level II in 2025. Morgan is also pursuing a Master's in Music Education at UNO. She is dedicated to fostering a love of music and inspiring her students to reach their fullest potential.

COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OF DISTINCTION AWARD