KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 12, 2025

A native Georgian, Kennesaw State University student Tyler Smith knows well the prestige of the Georgia Music Educators’ Association annual in-service conference. It conjures memories of music ensembles of all levels performing for a distinguished audience, and young musicians learning from some of the state’s best talent.

Now, the alto saxophonist will have the chance to perform at this January’s conference in Athens as a member of KSU’s wind ensemble, appearing at the conference for the first time since 2017.

“As a high schooler, GMEA always felt out of reach to me,” said Smith, who studies music in the Robert S. Geer Family College of the Arts. “It’s so rewarding to achieve this kind of milestone. To me, the GMEA concert serves as a strong indicator of the direction the Bailey School of Music is headed.”

Kennesaw State has achieved something even rarer, as the KSU chamber singers have also been invited to GMEA, making the University the only institution with two performance ensembles appearing at the conference. The performance also feeds a big year for the singers, who will tour Spain in March 2026.

Every year, dozens of academic and community music ensembles apply for the chance to perform at the annual GMEA conference. Successful performers are selected through a blind adjudication process by a panel of musical colleagues based on musical skill and the advancement of their genre. 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 U.S.

“GMEA is the place to be if you want to do music in Georgia. It’s great for connections, and it’s a great opportunity to perform,” said senior Elise Hayen, who plays oboe in the wind ensemble. “This achievement speaks to how quickly this school is developing.”

The event also serves as a promotional opportunity for KSU’s Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music, whose band program boasts more than 700 students, KSU Director of Bands David Kehler said.

“Not everyone has a chance to come to KSU and hear the top concert band play,” he said. “This serves as a valuable opportunity for us to perform for our colleagues and share the high quality musicmaking that we’re capable of in the Bailey School of Music. It’s also an opportunity to attract more high-quality students who wish to study here as well.”

Kehler has put together a rigorous, challenging, and innovative program for the group, and it features the Georgia debuts of two pieces. The premieres are composer Gao Hong’s piece “Celebration,” which will feature guest conductor David Roush, assistant director of bands at KSU, and Cuban composer Dennis Llinas’ piece “La Chancla.” Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music Director Nathan Nabb, one of the world’s elite classical alto saxophonists, will be featured on composer Joel Love’s concerto “Solace,” which Kehler touted as a grand collaboration of a top-flight instrumental ensemble and a world-class individual musician. In addition, Love will be in residence as a guest and will perform on piano for this performance.

“It’s both a technical and lyrical work that showcases the saxophone as a solo instrument, and Nathan is a master of both technique and expression. He's a beautiful player,” Kehler said.

Interested music enthusiasts will have two chances on KSU’s campus to hear the wind ensemble perform their program before the January conference. The first performance is at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 21. The second performance is at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, this time with the Kennesaw Mountain High School wind ensemble opening the concert. KMHS was one of two high schools invited to perform at GMEA. Both concerts will take place at Morgan Performance Hall.

The concerts will serve as a prelude to a performance that Hayen might have seen as a budding musician at Heritage High School in Ringgold, Georgia. Her school band performed at the GMEA conference, and she cited a tremendous opportunity coming up to get the word out about KSU’s music programs.

“The School of Music has opportunities for everybody, majors and non-majors, vocalists and instrumentalists alike,” she said. “KSU has so much to offer for all kinds of musicians, and our performance at GMEA will shine a spotlight on us.”

– Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Matt Yung

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.