The National Association for Music Education: A History of Advocacy and Advancement

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME), stands as one of the world’s largest and most influential arts education organizations. It uniquely addresses all facets of music education. Since 1907, NAfME has been dedicated to ensuring every student has access to a comprehensive, well-balanced, and high-quality music education program taught by qualified instructors.

Origins and Evolution of NAfME

Originally known as the Music Supervisors’ National Conference (MSNC), the organization was founded in 1907. The impetus for its creation arose from an unexpected event: the San Francisco earthquake and fires of April 18, 1906, which led to the cancellation of the National Education Association (NEA) annual meeting. Philip C. Hayden, a music teacher from Iowa, proposed that the NEA’s music division convene in his town instead.

More than 100 individuals attended this inaugural meeting, marking the birth of what is now NAfME. Throughout the 20th century, the organization evolved into a significant force in music education. In 1934, MSNC became the Music Educators National Conference (MENC). In 1998, the name was updated to MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Finally, in 2011, the organization officially adopted the name National Association for Music Education (NAfME).

Hamlin Cogswell (1852-1922) is credited with founding the Music Supervisors National Conference in 1907. Dr. Frances Clarke (1860-1958), a music supervisor in the Milwaukee Public School system, also played a crucial role in establishing the Music Supervisors National Conference in 1907.

The Association has had 64 presidents, from Keokuk’s Philip C. Hayden, 1907-09, to 2014-16 NAfME President Glenn E. Nierman.

Early Influences on Music Education in America

The history of music education in the United States predates the American Revolution. Early influences shaped its development:

Music Education in the Colonies

The Pilgrims and Puritans who settled in Massachusetts brought with them a tradition of singing psalms. In 1698, the first book printed in America to include music was a psalm book. In contrast, secular music flourished in the South, where experienced musicians traveled across plantations to teach children and perform for private audiences and churches. However, music education was largely confined to the wealthy.

As the northern colonies expanded, the importance of music literacy in the church grew. The Rev. John Tufts established the first American “singing school” and, in 1721, published "An Introduction to The Singing of Psalm-Tunes" to address music illiteracy. Singing masters taught community members to sing by note through the singing school movement.

Tunebooks and Lowell Mason

Tunebooks, instructional texts containing choral music, were a vital component of early American music education. Approximately 1,400 tunebooks were published. Lowell Mason, a Massachusetts native proficient in organ, piano, flute, and clarinet, embraced the teachings of Swiss educational reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, transforming music education in America. Mason emphasized the student-teacher relationship and, in 1832, founded the Boston Academy of Music, the first school in the country dedicated to music education for children. According to Michael Mark, Mason “was the central figure in the process of having music adopted as a school subject.”

The School Band Movement

The school band movement significantly propelled music education in the latter half of the 19th century. As public school enrollment increased, so did the number of bands. John Philip Sousa, the director of the Marine Band, contributed to the growing popularity of bands, according to the New World Encyclopedia. Schools began forming all-men and sometimes all-women bands that performed at parades, football games, and to entertain troops returning from the World Wars.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

Key Developments and Initiatives

Throughout its history, NAfME has been involved in numerous key developments and initiatives:

Early Conferences and Meetings

Annual meetings of the Music Supervisors National Conference (MSNC) followed in St. Louis (1912), Rochester, New York (1913), and Minneapolis (1914). By 1920, Association membership reached 1,242. MSNC held its first Biennial National Conference in Chicago in 1928, observing a moment of silence for its first president, Philip C. Hayden. In 1930, MSNC established its first office in Chicago and hired its first director, Clifford V. Buttelman.

National Anthem Advocacy

In 1931, the Association initially opposed designating “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the National Anthem, citing its difficulty to sing. However, during World War II, MENC collaborated with the War Department to simplify the song as part of the “American Unity Through Music” movement, recommending transposing it from B-flat to A-flat.

Mid-20th Century Growth

MENC held its first West Coast conference in Los Angeles in 1940, with special trains chartered from New York and Chicago to transport members. The 1952 conference in Philadelphia centered on the theme “Music in Education.” As music instruction became increasingly sophisticated, music educators explored new methods and technologies. MENC began collaborating with other music education groups, including the Music Teachers National Association. In 1954, MENC held its first Biennial Convention in conjunction with the Interscholastic Music Activities Commission, the College Band Directors National Association, and the Music Educators Exhibitors Association.

Anniversary Celebrations and Curriculum Expansion

MENC celebrated its 50th anniversary by partnering with NEA to commission “Song of Democracy” by Howard Hanson, a setting of texts by Walt Whitman. The National Symphony Orchestra and D.C.’s Howard University Chorus premiered the piece at MENC’s Golden Anniversary Celebration at DAR Constitution Hall.

In the early 1960s, MENC members engaged in discussions about the importance of music education in the school curriculum. A panel formed by President John F. Kennedy explored the issues faced by music educators, leading to a June 1963 seminar at Yale University called “Music Education in Our Schools: A Search for Improvement.” Prominent music educators, including MENC leaders, concluded that the scope of music taught should be broadened to include folk music and jazz.

Contemporary Music Project

In 1963, MENC received a $1.3 million grant from the Ford Foundation for “The Contemporary Music Project for Creativity in Music Education,” exploring ways to use contemporary music to raise performance standards.

Tanglewood Symposium

The 1967 Tanglewood Symposium in Massachusetts brought together business and labor leaders, lawmakers, philanthropists, scientists, sociologists, and music educators, including MENC leaders, to discuss “Music in Modern Society.” The symposium concluded that music teachers should be equipped to teach students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities and that the history and literature of music should be included in education.

Relocation and Public Awareness Campaigns

In 1975, MENC moved its offices from NEA’s D.C. headquarters to Reston, Virginia. The National Anthem Project (TNAP), a public awareness campaign, was launched in 2005 with support from corporations and honorary chairperson Laura Bush.

Centennial Commemoration

In 2007, Keokuk II: Centennial Symposium for MENC: The National Association for Music Education was held in Keokuk, Iowa, to commemorate the founding of MENC. The official Centennial Celebration took place in Orlando, Florida, in June 2007.

Give a Note Foundation

The Give a Note Foundation was established in 2011.

Biennial Music Educators National Conference

In 2012, NAfME established the Biennial Music Educators National Conference, a forum for music education researchers, teacher educators, college students, and PreK-12 teachers.

National Core Music Standards

NAfME developed the new National Core Music Standards and collaborated with national arts, education, and media arts organizations to develop new Core Arts Standards, released in 2014.

Music In Our Schools Tour

In March 2014 and 2015, Give a Note Foundation’s Music In Our Schools Tour, featuring country artist Danielle Bradbery, brought local and national attention to five school music programs and provided grants.

Current Activities and Resources

NAfME continues to provide numerous resources and opportunities for music educators:

Advocacy

NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels, providing resources for teachers, parents, and administrators.

Professional Development

NAfME hosts professional development events and offers various opportunities for students and teachers. The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) facilitates professional development for music educators through its Learning Center, which provides a range of online and in-person programs designed to enhance teaching practices and pedagogical knowledge. NAfME's flagship events are its biennial national conferences, which combine professional development sessions, research presentations, and performances to foster collaboration among educators.

Publications

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) publishes five peer-reviewed journals accessible to members, covering research and practical applications in music education. NAfME also produces Teaching Music magazine quarterly in print and digital formats for members, alongside the biweekly NAfME Notes newsletter delivering news and resources. The organization co-publishes books with Bloomsbury on topics such as national standards, curriculum, assessment, special needs, and multicultural music, offering members a 30% discount.

National Standards and Assessments

NAfME develops and disseminates the 2014 National Music Standards, an update to the 1994 standards created through a two-year process involving professional educators and public review, emphasizing music literacy via the artistic processes of creating, performing, and responding, with connecting embedded throughout. Complementing the core standards, NAfME's Opportunity to Learn Standards outline requirements for curriculum, scheduling, staffing, materials, equipment, and facilities to enable effective music programs, including adaptations for distance learning updated in 2021. Model Cornerstone Assessments serve as flexible tools for measuring student progress across the artistic processes, tailored to individual schools.

Recognition Programs

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) administers several honors to recognize exceptional contributions to music education, including leadership, research, and advocacy. The Lowell Mason Fellows program, named after the pioneer of public school music education in the United States, honors music educators, advocates, and leaders who advance the profession through innovation and influence; recent recipients include Lance Nielsen in 2024 for his work with Nebraskans for the Arts and Dr. The George N. Parks Leadership in Music Education Award recognizes educators exemplifying inspirational leadership, as demonstrated by the late George N. Parks; Gary P. Gilroy.

Challenges and Controversies

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) has faced internal and external debates over its political engagement, particularly regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and opposition to state-level restrictions on classroom discussions of race and identity. A prominent controversy erupted in May 2016 when NAfME's executive director, Michael Butera, departed following allegations of racially insensitive remarks.

Leadership and Structure

The presidency of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is held by an elected leader serving a two-year term, overseeing the organization's strategic direction, advocacy efforts, and professional development initiatives for music educators. The current president (as of July 2024), Deborah A. Confredo. Key executives include division presidents representing NAfME's six geographic divisions, who coordinate regional activities and policy implementation. A council comprising past national presidents provides ongoing support to NAfME, advising on long-term sustainability and comprehensive music education standards.

Recent past presidents include:

Karl J. Glenn (1990-1992)
Carolynn A. Lindeman (1996-1998)
Mel Clayton (2000-2002)
Willie L. Hill, Jr. (2002-2004)
Lynn M. Brinckmeyer (2006-2008)
Barbara L. Geer (2008-2010)
Scott C. Shuler (2010-2012)
Glenn Nierman (2014-2016)
Denese Odegaard (2016-2018)
Kathleen D. Sanz (2018-2020)
Mackie V. Spradling (2020-2022)

The Role of Women in NAfME

Women have served in key leadership roles within the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and its predecessor organizations, reflecting gradual progress in gender representation amid a field where females comprise approximately two-thirds of general music and choral educators. 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. Women music educators "outnumber men two-to-one" in teaching general music, choir, private lessons, and keyboard instruction. More men tend to be hired for band education, administration and jazz jobs, and more men work in colleges and universities.

Some notable women in NAfME's history include:

Mabelle Glenn (1881-1969): A music supervisor in Bloomington, Indiana, and a director of music in Kansas City, Missouri. She wrote music appreciation books and music textbooks.
Lilla Pitts (1884-1970): A graduate of Northwestern University and a faculty member of the teacher's college at Florida State University.
Marguerite Hood (1903-1992): A graduate of the University of Southern California. She was a supervisor of music for Montana, a faculty member at the University of Montana, the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan. She was president of the Music Educators National Conference from 1950 to 1952.
Frances Andrews (1908-1976): Received her master's and doctorate from Pennsylvania State University, where she was a faculty member from 1943 to 1973.
Mary Hoffman (1926-1997): Graduated with a bachelor's degree in science from Lebanon Valley College and a master's from Columbia Teachers College. She was a music supervisor in Milwaukee and Philadelphia. She gave graduate courses at Columbia Teachers College, Temple University and the University of Illinois. She wrote and contributed to textbooks.
Dorothy Straub (born 1941): Graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in music education from Indiana University. She was the music coordinator for Fairfield Public Schools in Connecticut. She was a violinist in two orchestras. She was given awards from the American String Teachers Association and the National School Orchestra Association.
Carolynn Lindeman (born 1940): Graduated from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, the Mozarteum Academy, San Francisco State University and Stanford University, where she received her Doctor of Musical Arts. She was a professor at San Francisco State University from 1973 to 2005. She was president of the Music Educators National Conference from 1996 to 1998. She edited the "Strategies for Teaching" series.
June Hinckley (1943-2007): Graduated with a PhD from Florida State University. She was a music and fine arts supervisor in Brevard County in Florida. She wrote articles on music education.
Lynn Brinckmeyer: Received her PhD from the University of Kansas. She was an associate professor and director of choral music education at Texas State University.
Barbara Geer: Graduated from the University of North Carolina. She was a music consultant for a school system in North Carolina.

The Enduring Impact of NAfME

NAfME’s contributions to music education in the United States are far-reaching. Ninety-four percent of elementary schools and 91 percent of secondary schools offer instruction specifically designated for music, according to a 2012 National Center for Education Statistics report. For most students interested in learning music, the opportunity is available. By advocating for music education, providing resources for educators, and setting national standards, NAfME ensures that music remains an integral part of the educational experience for students across the country. NAfME plays a leading role in developing the 2014 National Core Arts Standards for music education, which emphasize music literacy through artistic processes such as creating, performing, and responding, applicable from pre-K through grade 12.

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