Welcome to the Central Chapter of CMS! Founded in 2021 by the joining of parts of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain chapters, our chapter includes over 400 members from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Manitoba, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
The Central Chapter hosts a conference each spring, bringing together dozens of music educators, performers, composers, and students across the many fields within music. Over several days of paper presentations, lecture recitals, performances, networking, and collaboration, participants exchange ideas and connect. You might very well find your next collaborator or research partner at one of our conferences, and you certainly wouldn't be the first to do so. (Regional conferences are open to all members, so if you don't live in any of the 1,000,000+ square miles of the central region, we'd love to have you here.)
Our region encourages student involvement, and offers three prestigious awards: the James Brewer Memorial Award for Best Student Presentation, the Paul Revitt Memorial Award for Best Student Paper, and the Chappell White Memorial Award for Best Student Composition.
As a new chapter, the Central Chapter is currently looking to expand our leadership pool. There are many opportunities to get involved, from conference hosts to program committee membership to executive leadership positions. CMS, as a professional organization, thrives on the leadership of its members to direct its activities. It looks great on a CV, too.
Membership in CMS provides invaluable resources, from the famous Music Vacancy List; the Directory of Music Faculties; regional, national, and international conferences; cohorts in a variety of timely topics; publishing opportunities; and more. A visit to the CMS website always provides more than just what you were looking for.
If you would like to learn more about our conference, our chapter, or if you'd like to get involved, please feel free to reach out to me.
Kyle Vanderburg ([email protected])
President, CMS Central Chapter (2025–26)
