Eastman School of Music, at the University of Rochester, is proud to announce that it will host the inaugural Context Conference: Contextualizing Equity and Inclusion in Music on November 3-4, 2023, in Rochester, NY. Conference Host Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle, Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion at Eastman, along with Dr. Lisa Beckley-Roberts, Chair and Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at Jackson State University, are the keynote speakers. 

The two-day conference will include breakout group sessions, pre-concert receptions, two performances, and more, framed around the following five areas:

-Classroom Innovation

-Curriculum Shift

-Ensemble & Applied Area Repertoire and Performance Practice

-Community Engagement

-Recruitment and Retention

Currently, the conference is soliciting proposals for sessions. These sessions can be any format such as panel discussions, lecture-recitals and/or presentations framed around the topics listed above. Proposals may be submitted online through the conference website. Registration will not go live until April 2023.

Full press release can be found online.

Select interviews available upon request.