National Association for Music Education

🎺 A newly proposed tariff on brass-wind instruments and accessories could make it even harder for music programs and families to afford the instruments students need.

Now is the time for music educators and advocates to make our voices heard! Submit a public comment by August 27 and reach out directly to your members of Congress to oppose the proposed tariff.

Learn what’s at stake and exactly how to take action: bit.ly/brass-wind-tariff-blog

NAMM League of American Orchestras

Start (or renew) a Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter in your middle or high school this year! Your student chapter could be eligible for a scholarship when you nominate your chapter in the spring for Chapter of the Year! nafme.org/tri-m https://www.facebook.com/TriMNAfMEOfficial/posts/pfbid01EvDwYWjMtiUCEsGfjYc2TS6J1c2t5jZ3AMLHgbEmkwYdoKduRkLMsiVD1HYSUvNl

Last school year saw more than 400 new Tri-M chapters join the community! Join the momentum and activate your chapter today. The Chapter Set Up Guide (bit.ly/TriMChapterSetUp) is your go-to resource to make your chapter your own—complete with sample bylaws, membership applications, and induction ceremony templates. Activate your chapter now at bit.ly/Tri-MStartRenew

Call for session proposals! The New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) is hosting its annual professional development conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from February 18–20, 2027. Every year, more than 150 sessions, performances, and meetings are held in the Atlantic City Convention Center and surrounding venues. NJMEA is always looking for new and innovative sessions and performers. Find information on submitting a session proposal or performance application: https://www.njmea.org/state-conference. The deadline for proposal submission is Friday, September 18, 2026.

Learn more: https://nafme.org/event/2027-njmea-state-conference/

2027 NJMEA State Conference – NAfME Annual professional development conference with more than 150 PD sessions, performances, and meetings. Early registration will open September 1, 2026, and will remain open through February 5, 2027. If you miss the early registration period, late registration will be available for an additional fee.....

Make sure you are ready for the new school year, Collegiates! Join or renew your collegiate membership today, and follow National Association for Music Education Collegiate for all the latest updates.

https://www.facebook.com/nafmecollegiateofficial/posts/pfbid02NobEv3CVmwkm9FXQnS9Us366qFNt2R3HzbQ5v2ff7yhddA4PEKFD8n71NxnGdiE5l

All NAfME Collegiate memberships expire annually on June 30. Renew now to take advantage of a full year of member benefits and engage with your professional community of nearly 11,000 collegiate music students. Visit nafme.org/membership/join/ today!

New blog: "Collaborate to Succeed: Evidence-Based Practices for Teachers and Education Support Professionals to Promote Engagement and Prosocial Behavior in Music Classes" by Cameron R. Siegal (reprinted from the June 2026 issue of 'Music Educators Journal'): https://nafme.org/blog/collaborate-to-succeed

"In my own work, I have identified several evidence-based practices that have been particularly useful when supporting students’ unique, individual needs in music classes," writes Siegal. "The strategies presented in this article can serve as a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' of sorts; that is, these suggestions can be tailored to your specific students and teaching context."

Register for Cameron's September 9 webinar on the same topic: https://bit.ly/PromotingMusicEngagement

NAfME is proud to join with fellow music education supporters in the Music Impact Coalition! Pooling together our efforts makes a notable impact for ensuring all students have access to music and arts education! 🌟

Join us! nafme.org/membership

More from Music Impact Coalition:
https://www.facebook.com/miccoalition/posts/pfbid0S5J5Y7kPrtr6pGrryYJU72MRreSZjtXj1ZNqDyTxaC7gGoTw5LW1HHrKksfnuG5Sl

✨ In this week’s Advocate Leader Spotlight, we’re highlighting Randy Swiggum, President of the Wisconsin Music Educators Association - WMEA and a dedicated member of the Advocacy Leadership Force (ALF) for more than two years!

A passionate advocate for music education in Wisconsin, Randy has helped establish an advocacy helpline that equips music educators and parents with the support they need for conversations with school boards, principals, and district leaders. He has also been instrumental in organizing the state's Capitol Conversations initiative, bringing advocates together for a week of virtual and in-person meetings to elevate the importance of music education with state legislators.

In addition to drawing inspiration from fellow ALF members across the country, Randy has enthusiastically shared his own expertise with others. At this year's Advocacy Leadership Initiative Convening hosted by NAfME, he delivered a thoughtful presentation filled with strategies for understanding a state's unique political climate, embedding advocacy into state culture, and crafting messages that make the impact of music education tangible for legislators and others who may not fully understand its value.

Randy’s passion for advocacy is evident in everything he does, and we’re grateful to have him as part of the ALF. Keep up the great work, Randy! 🎶

Learn more about the ALF: bit.ly/AdvocacyLeadershipForce

With gratitude to The Music Man Foundation and CMA Foundation, their generous support made our Advocacy Leadership Initiative and recently released MAESTRO Act resources possible. bit.ly/MAESTRO-Act

These foundations’ commitment to music education is helping drive lasting state-level change nationwide, and we’re proud to collaborate with them.

Read this blog to learn why this support matters and how these partnerships are powering meaningful impact: bit.ly/PoweringStateLevelProgress

The NAfME Advocacy and Public Policy team will be on the road in the coming weeks to share with others how this model state legislation can power their advocacy on the state level.

Congratulations to NAfME member Philip Lachance on an illustrious career in music education! https://www.facebook.com/RIMEAorg/posts/pfbid02aQexKFq2WxvywWahGYvTLCtNfmrXZAwXfBsd1HGXRCA2uJCVbpamyRVxw5Dv19zul

After 40 years in music education, Cranston High School West choir director Philip Lachance is taking his final bow. Read his story below.