KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 11, 2025

Kennesaw State University Chamber Singers and Wind Ensemble were selected by blind peer review to perform at the 2026 Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, to be held at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, January 29–31.

The Geer College of the Arts at Kennesaw State University has had two student ensembles independently selected to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) annual in-service conference in 2026. This is a significant honor for the university's music program.  
 
“Selection for GMEA is highly competitive and highly coveted. To have not one, but two, of our student ensembles, selected in blind, juried auditions is a testament to the prestige we have built over time for our music program and the incredible direction of Dr. Ryan Fellman [Interim Director of Choral Activities] and David Kehler [Director of Bands and Professor of Music],” says Dr. Nathan Nabb director of the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music.  
 
Each year, dozens of scholastic and community music ensembles apply for a chance to perform at the annual GMEA conference. Considered the premier annual event for professional development and attended by music educators from across Georgia, the conference showcases the work of musicians from Georgia and beyond. The Georgia Music Educators Association has the fourth-largest membership among state music education associations in the United States. 
 
GMEA is a chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), which is among the world’s largest arts education organizations and the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. The Association has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 50,000 members teaching millions of students nationwide, the organization is the national voice of music education in the United States. 
 
Ensembles invited to perform at the GMEA conference are reviewed by a panel of their colleagues through blind adjudication. Successful performing groups are selected based on their musical skill and advancement of their musical genre.  
 
The Kennesaw State University Chamber Singers have been under the direction of Dr. Ryan R. Fellman for one year; the group is the premier auditioned choral ensemble at KSU. The choir is open to all students, including both music majors and non-majors from across campus. The Chamber Singers have a long history of success at the state and national level of performance, having sung at two national conferences in 2013 and represented Kennesaw State University at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Conference in March 2020. The group also performed at the 2002, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2018 GMEA Conferences and continue to achieve prominence on the state, regional and national stages. 
 
The Kennesaw State University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of David Kehler, was formed in 1996 and performs a diverse repertoire encompassing large works for band, wind ensemble and chamber music. The ensemble continues to lead in supporting and creating consortiums for the development of new music, which have included the creation of new works by internationally recognized composers. The KSU Wind Ensemble is an important musical voice in the Atlanta Metropolitan area and has been featured frequently on 90.1 FM (WABE- Atlanta public radio). In 2012 and 2016 the KSU Wind Ensemble was a selected and featured ensemble at the Southern Division College Band Directors National Association Conferences. In addition, the KSU Wind Ensemble was the Winner of the 2013 American Prize for best wind ensemble/concert band performance in the United States, and in 2016, released its first professional recording under the Centaur recording label featuring the music of Chen Yi. The last time the group performed at the GMEA conference was in 2017. 
 
Most GMEA performances are open to the public. The annual in-service will take place in Athens, Georgia January 29-31, 2026. The Chamber Singers and Wind Ensemble performance times will be released in the coming months. 
 
 
Photo Credits: Lauren Liz Photography, 2025