National Association for Music Education

Last updated
National Association for Music Education
AbbreviationNAfME
Formation1907;117 years ago (1907)
FounderHamlin Cogswell
Founded at Keokuk, Iowa
Type 501(c)(3) organization
52-6045043
Legal statusActive
Purpose Music education in the United States
Headquarters Herndon, Virginia
Coordinates 38°58′01″N77°22′49″W / 38.967059°N 77.380270°W / 38.967059; -77.380270
President
Scott Sheehan
Executive Director
Christopher B.L. Woodside
Website nafme.org
Formerly called
Music Educators National Conference

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is an organization of American music educators dedicated to advancing and preserving music education as part of the core curriculum of schools in the United States. Founded in 1907 as the Music Supervisors National Conference (MSNC), the organization was known from 1934 to 1998 as the Music Educators National Conference (origin of the MENC acronym). From 1998 to 2011 it was known as "MENC: The National Association for Music Education." On September 1, 2011, the organization changed its acronym from MENC to NAfME. [1] On March 8, 2012, the organization's name legally became National Association for Music Education, using the acronym "NAfME". It has approximately 57,000 members, and NAfME's headquarters are located in Herndon, Virginia

Contents

As of February 2024, Scott Sheehan is the current president of NAfME, and the executive director is Christopher B.L. Woodside. [2]

Organization and Early History

In 1956, a former MENC Executive Secretary prepared a chronology of the organization's genesis and growth: "1905—First discussion of organizing a separate conference of [K-12] music supervisors at the meeting of NEA music section, Asbury Park, NJ (July 2–7); 1906—First call issued November 27 for a School Music Supervisors Conference in Keokuk, Iowa; 1907—With 69 present, 'Music Supervisors National Conference' established in Keokuk (10-12 April); 1910—Constitution adopted, first recorded committee report, first book of proceedings published. Affiliate relationship established with National Federation of Music Clubs; 1914—'Music Supervisors Bulletin' (later 'Music Educators Journal') established. First report of Committee on Community Songs; 1915—Beginning of an emphasis on community music activities and community service by school music supervisors and music teachers; 1917—First National Music Supervisors Chorus; 1918—National Education Council established, Eastern Music Supervisors Conference organized; 1919—Music appreciation comes to the foreground... 'Service Version' of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' accepted by U.S. War Department upon recommendation of Conference-sponsored 'Committee of Twelve'; 1920—State Advisory Committees established; 1922—Southern Conference for Music Education organized; 1923—introduction of slogan, 'Music For Every Child—Every Child for Music'; 1924—Biennial plan proposed for meeting of National and Sectional Conferences; 1925—First National High School Band Contest sponsored; 1926—First National High School Orchestra; 1927—North Central and Southwestern Conferences hold first meetings; 1928—First National High School Chorus established; 1929—First meeting of Northwest Conference; 1930—office opened in Chicago; 1931—California-Western (later 'Western') Conference holds first meeting, completing the circuit of six Sectional Conferences; 1934—Name change from Music Supervisors National Conference to Music Educators National Conference; 1940—Beginning of cooperation with Pan-American Union and State Department in 'Good Neighbor' program, first meeting of College Band Directors Conference; WWII—Intensive cooperation with agencies & organizations including the State Dept., Treasury Dept., War Dept., Library of Congress Music Division; 1947—First student chapters enrolled; 1951—MENC Washington, DC office opens in NEA headquarters; 1953—First issue of ' Journal of Research in Music Education'; 1955—MENC becomes member of National Music Council. [3]

State affiliates

NAfME functions regionally through more than fifty state (or state-level) affiliates. These federated state associations include organizations representing each of the fifty U.S. states; the District of Columbia; and a single affiliate for Europe. [4]

Women leadership

Hamlin Cogswell (1852–1922) founded the Music Supervisors National Conference in 1907. While a small number of women served as president of the Music Supervisors National Conference (and the following renamed versions of the organization over the next century) in the early 20th century, there were only two female presidents between 1952 and 1992, which "possibly reflects discrimination." After 1990, however, leadership roles for women in the organization opened up. From 1990 to 2010, there were five female presidents of this organization. [5] Women music educators "outnumber men two-to-one" in teaching general music, choir, private lessons, and keyboard instruction. [5] More men tend to be hired for band education, administration and jazz jobs, and more men work in colleges and universities. [5] According to Dr. Sandra Wieland Howe, there is still a "glass ceiling" for women in music education careers, as there is "stigma" associated with women in leadership positions and "men outnumber women as administrators." [5]

Notable women presidents

Lowell Mason Fellowship

Lowell Mason Fellows are individuals who have furthered NAfME's mission of ensuring accessibility to music education for all. Music educators, music education advocates, political leaders, and key decision makers are eligible for designation. The names of the Fellows are permanently displayed at NAfME's headquarters in Herndon, VA. [7] The Fellowship is named after Lowell Mason.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Press Release: Building on the Past to Shape the Future of Music Education". NAfME official website. NAfME. 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  2. "National Executive Board (NEB) - NAfME". nafme.org/. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  3. Buttelman, C.F. "Significant Dates for M.E.N.C." Music Journal 14:4 (April 1956), 5, 77.
  4. "NAfME Federated State Associations". NAfME official website. NAfME. 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "A Historical View of Women in Music Education".
  6. Journal of Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the Music Supervisors' National Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, April 9–13, 1923, p. 9; OCLC   660087362
  7. National Association for Music Education: Press Release – 2006 Lowell Mason Fellows (April 9, 2007)