Concordia Nebraska to host Nebraska Music Teacher Association Conference

Seward, NE (10/09/2026) — The weekend of October 23-25, Concordia University, Nebraska will host the annual Nebraska Music Teachers Association (NMTA) conference and state festival and the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) state competition in the Borland Center for Music and Theatre.

The NMTA conference is intended to support and encourage private music teachers through collegiality and resources. It also offers opportunities for student performances, learning and growth. This conference is an opportunity for the organization to enrich its members through connection, education and inspiration.

This year's conference celebrates the 150th anniversary of MTNA. The event will include a member recital that features music of American composers through the decades. The recital will feature the premiere of a work by commissioned composer Jackson Berkey. Berkey is an American composer, pianist and singer best known for his work with Mannheim Steamroller. The Concordia University Vocal Jazz Choir will be performing Stacey Gibbs' arrangement of the spiritual "Standin' in the Need of Prayer." The recital is at 11 a.m. on October 23 in the Borland Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public.

The conference will highlight guest clinician Catherine Rollin. Rollin is a pianist, composer, clinician, author and teacher. She has more than 400 published and recognized pedagogical compositions. She has given over 300 workshops and masterclasses throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan and Taiwan. There will also be a session led by NMTA member Florencia Zuloaga entitled "Sight-Reading with Our Little Beginners: An Integrative Approach."

In addition to the conference, Concordia Nebraska will host MTNA's state competitions and NMTA's state festival in Borland October 24-25. Students of all ages will have the chance to play and compete on the facility's Steinway grand pianos.

"It's an honor to host an event for a group of people who care so deeply about music and about music education," said Professor of Music Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo. "Private music teaching is vital in our society. Often private teachers spend many years with the same students. They have the privilege of watching them grow as musicians and watching them grow as people."

"They help cultivate a child's love for music and their appreciation for the arts. They teach them perseverance, patience and determination. Private teachers can be some of the most important people in a student's life. Whether or not a student grows up to be a professional musician, the care and dedication they receive from a private teacher definitely impacts their life, and society, for the better."

Media Attachments

Borland_Choir_Room.jpg