CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Proposal Submission Deadline: September 26, 2025, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

The MTNA Collegiate Symposium Planning Committee is seeking proposals from collegiate chapters, college students and newly graduated young professionals to present at the 2026 MTNA Collegiate Symposium, January 17–18, 2026, at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. MTNA welcomes submissions from individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds, abilities and education levels to provide a broad spectrum of ideas for program consideration.

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Proposals are invited that:

• Reflect innovation and cutting-edge content
• Stimulate and provoke audience discussion
• Pertain to young professionals
• Explore building a diverse teaching studio and community
• Use multimedia approaches to enhance learning
• Explore pedagogical and performance issues important to all levels

Topics may include:

• Current technology trends
• Inclusive teaching
• Musicians as entrepreneurs
• Current state of scholarship in the music field
• International pedagogy
• Historical performance and pedagogy
• Underrepresented composers and underserved populations

Presenter Eligibility:

• Current college students
• Newly graduated young professionals (less than 3 years post graduation)
• Open to presenters of all instruments and genres including piano, voice, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, classical, jazz and contemporary.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS

General Sessions are presentations up to 25 minutes in length that showcase current Collegiate Chapter research in presentation-style or lecture-recital format. Group and individual sessions are permitted.

Keyboard Lab Sessions are interactive workshops up to 25 minutes in length that utilize the digital keyboard lab classrooms at the University of South Carolina. Group and individual sessions are permitted.

Lightning Sessions are brief, 5-minute versions of elevator pitches that focus on a single topic, example, idea, project or technique. They do not attempt to cover all aspects of their subject matter, but present one facet of the idea clearly and succinctly that will allow attendees to immediately apply to their teaching/learning. Individual submissions recommended.

Poster Sessions showcase research, projects or outreach. All posters must include pertinent information in a manner that is visible from three to four feet away. Presenters applying for the Poster Session must additionally submit a computer-generated sample in PDF or JPEG format. For guidance, please see this article on How to Create a Research Poster as well as this sample poster from a prior Symposium. Group or individual submissions are permitted.

Symposium Recital features attendee performances of selections five minutes or less in length. Solos, duets and ensembles are welcome. The recital space will have two pianos to allow for two piano works to be performed. Performers will have an opportunity to briefly introduce their piece(s).

Teaching Master Class Videos: Clinicians will critique selected submitted videos and engage teachers in a positive and constructive dialogue about the teaching of individual or group teaching segments 8–10 minutes in length. Lesson segments will be presented during a teaching master class session.

• Individual lesson videos: The recording should be focused on a single segment of the lesson. Students of any age and level are eligible.
• Group keyboard lab videos: Recordings should focus on a single segment and include one or more creative ways to engage the keyboard lab classroom. Please ensure to capture the projection (if used) and as many students as possible in the video.

Proposal Submission Requirements

Submit Proposal