ANNOUNCEMENT: SYMPOSIUM CANCELATION

It saddens us to share that we won’t be moving forward with the 2025 Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian Music Symposium, scheduled for September 18th and 19th, 2025.

The sociopolitical and economic constraints affecting everyone in the educational sphere has a magnified effect on non-profit organizations, and we do not have the enrollment needed to make the event a sustainable one that will best serve attendees and presenters. After careful evaluation, we’ve decided to cancel this year’s event to ensure that we can deliver the kind of high-quality experience our community expects and deserves. We’d prefer to regroup and come back stronger in the future.

We don’t take this decision lightly. We know how much you were looking forward to the symposium, and we want to thank you for being part of our community.

2024 symposium attendees pose together, smiling

Decolonizing the Music Room’s Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian (BBIA) Music Symposium is a gathering for BBIA people in music education, research, performance, and related fields to be in community, learn collaboratively, make music, and imagine a just future.

Sponsorship opportunities available, email info@decolonizingthemusicroom.org

2024 Sponsors

*We understand the complexity of racial, ethnic, and cultural categorizations that make up an individual’s identity. However, we also understand that there are times where specific identity groupings, particularly those of marginalized groups, can be insulated from oppressions if an individual possesses certain markers of privilege (e.g. White passing).  The purpose of this gathering is to provide a space for those of us who cannot navigate music education spaces being seen as white individuals; who have been discriminated against because of the color of our skin; and who continue to suffer the constant stress that is cause by simply being a Black, Brown, Indigenous, or Asian individual in music studies. Our intention is not to gatekeep, but rather to create a safe space where we can discuss our unique experiences in our predominantly White profession without having to worry about the comfort of our White colleagues. Before registering, please consider how your experiences relate to what we are trying to accomplish with this meeting. If your experiences do not reflect the perspectives we are trying to elevate, please understand that we still love you… we just need a space where we can heal through loving ourselves.