2023 NMEA Conference/In-Service Clinic

November 16-18, 2023 (Thursday - Saturday)

Each November NMEA provides professional development for music educators at its "Conference/In-Service Clinic." The 2023 event will be held November 16-18 (Thursday-Saturday) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Registration headquarters and Expo are at the Embassy Suites, 1040 P Street, with conference sessions across the street on UNL's main campus (Westbrook Music Building) and at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel will also be used for sessions.

PAGE QUICK LINKS

Keynote Speaker
Schedule
Conference Registration
Awards Dinner Tickets
Exhibit Information & Registration
Conference Policies
Future Dates
 

2023 KEYNOTE SPEAKER

FRANKLIN J. WILLIS
Community Impact Director, CMA Foundation

For fourteen years, educator, and leader, Franklin Willis has served the students and families of Nashville. Through music, Willis has educated, mentored, and developed young minds to be forward-thinking contributors to society. A three-time CMA Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence with more than a decade of experience in the classroom, Franklin Willis is a trailblazer and catalyst for change in the music education space, as well as a rising leader within the music industry at large. Not only does he lead the way in culturally responsive teaching techniques, but also, in his new post as Community Impact Director at the CMA Foundation, paves the way for students to experience equitable access to opportunities in the music industry beyond the classroom.

As the former elementary music instructional coach for Metro Nashville Public Schools, Willis focused on equipping teachers with instructional support and necessary resources to strengthen their professional acumen and enhance their classrooms. Including, shepherding colleagues and teachers through the reality students are faced with around equity, inclusion, and racism. Through his work, he has developed a passion in the cultivation of musicianship for young minds as every child has musical potential and deserves a music teacher who will see the best in them. Willis believes that music education is a vital tool to teach students about other cultures, create community, and inspire a love for learning. Willis consistently uses his network to provide opportunities for students to utilize their passion for music for all to see. This includes producing music videos and stadium performances at CMA Fest, a four-day music festival in Nashville, TN.

2023 NMEA CONFERENCE/INSERVICE CLINIC SCHEDULE

An at-a-glance version of our 2022 Conference/In-Service schedule is now available to download as a PDF. Please note that the conference schedule is subject to change.

Download the At-A-Glance Schedule

You can also view the schedule in more detail, including session descriptions and clinician bios, on our special 2023 NMEA Conference Schedule page.

Visit our Conference Schedule Webpage

2023 NMEA CONFERENCE/IN-SERVICE CLINIC REGISTRATION

Registration for the 2023 NMEA Conference/In-Service Clinic is now open!
Click the link below to register today.
Register for the 2023 Conference

Registration fees for the 2023 NMEA Conference/In-Service Clinic will be:

MEMBERS NON-MEMBERS
Active Early Bird - $105 (Sept. 1 - Oct. 31) Non-Member Early Bird - $150 (Sept. 1 - Oct. 31)
Active Member Registration - $130 (Nov. 1-14) Non-Member Registration - $175 (Nov. 1-14)
Active Member On-Site Registration - $150 (Nov. 16-18) Non-Member On-Site Registration - $200 (Nov. 16-18)

Introductory Member Registration - $25

Are you a first-year teacher?

If so, you can register for the conference at this special introductory rate!

  
Retired Member Registration - $0  
Member Sponsored Guest - $25  

 

2023 AWARDS DINNER

The annual Awards Dinner will take place on Friday, November 17 at the Cornhusker Hotel Atrium / Grand Ballroom. Social hour will take place from 5:15 pm with live music. The dinner will begin at 6:00 pm.

Advance ticket purchase is required to attend the Awards Dinner. Ticket sales are now open. The early bird Awards Dinner ticket price is $35. Starting November 1, the Awards Dinner ticket price increases to $45. 

2023 Awards Dinner Tickets

Collegiate Member's tickets are included with their conference registration.

2023 EXHIBIT INFORMATION

Become an exhibitor for the 2023 NMEA Conference In-Service Clinic November 16-18, 2022. The exhibit hall will be located in the Embassy Suites in downtown, Lincoln, NE. Attendees for our 3-day conference come from across the state of Nebraska. Conference participants are music educators from all levels including K-12 teachers, pre-service collegiate students, and higher education faculty in the fields of general music, band, chorus, jazz, orchestra, guitar, piano, popular music, and music technology. High school students who participate in our four All-State ensembles also have designated times in their schedule to peruse the exhibit hall.

The attendance breakdown for our 2022 Conference/In-Service Clinic is listed to below to give an idea of what type of reach to expect.

General Conference Attendance High School All-State Student Attendance
685 Teachers & Guests 161 in All-State Band
132 Exhibitor Personnel 440 in All-State Choir
259 Collegiate Students 19 in All-State Jazz Band
TOTAL: 1,076 125 in All-State Orchestra
  TOTAL: 745

 

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION
Exhibitor registration has now closed.

CONFERENCE POLICIES

IMAGE CONSENT:  NMEA records video and takes photographs during the Conference to use in our publications and broadcasts, such as the Nebraska Music Educator magazine, the NMEA website, etc. Submitting an application or registration requires consent to allow any images taken during the conference to be used by NMEA. 

RECORDINGS:  Video or audio recording of any session, rehearsal or performance is strictly prohibited unless it is NMEA authorized personnel.

CANCELLATION POLICY:  There will be no refund of conference registration fees, unless the refund request is due to a personal or family emergency (defined as death or illness of an immediate family member, or other similar circumstance). If the NMEA Board of Directors deems the request a legitimate emergency, the refund will consist of half the registration fee paid by the individual.

FUTURE CONFERENCE DATES

  • 2024 - Wednesday-Friday, November 20-22
  • 2025 - Thursday-Saturday, November 20-22

NMEA conference dates were chosen to take advantage of the availability of hotels and conference facilities. Please put the dates of the NMEA Conference on your school calendars and notify all necessary school officials; working several years ahead will help avoid conflicts with other school activities.