CMS Think-Tank Summit 2026 – Call for Ideas-into-Action Talks

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The College Music Society (CMS) invites proposals for the 2026 CMS Think-Tank Summit, scheduled for January 16–18 at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. The Summit theme, “Ideas into Action: Reimagining Music Schools for 2026 and Beyond,” will invite participants to join their CMS colleagues to discuss how educators and administrators can focus on advancing career-focused curricula, fostering innovation, and supporting diverse pathways for today’s music students. Conversations will be centered around the four pillars of Belonging, Creativity, Technology, and Advocacy:

Belonging

  • How can we sustain cultures of belonging regardless of upbringing and background?
  • Does all music matter, and if so, how do we represent this value in our curricula? 
  • How can we reimagine our programming to serve music for all?


 

Creativity

  • How can we continue to amplify creativity in all that we do?
  • What does it mean to balance technique with intention?
  • How can we empower our students to sustain multifaceted careers in a rapidly changing creative and economic landscape?


 

Technology

  • What is the role of technology and AI in the creative process?
  • How can we prepare our students for the coming era of AI?
  • What lessons from the pandemic ought we better integrate moving forward?


 

Advocacy

  • How can we collectively advocate for the value of the arts in society? 
  • What does it mean to empower and encourage our students and community to engage in citizen artistry and socially inspired art?
  • How can we make the case for music in higher education to government and society?


 

Ideas-into-Action Talks are 15-minute, “TED”-style talks delivered from a central stage. Each Idea-into-Action talk will be grouped into 90-minute, full-group sessions that will serve as plenary events throughout the Summit. 

Presenters of Ideas-into-Action Talks will articulate and share a challenge or key issue facing the future of music higher education. Presenters will issue a “Call to Action” to the audience that will ask them to implement innovative solutions to the challenge at hand. 

Following the presentation, Ideas-into-Action Talks presenters will meet with session participants to co-lead an Action Group in which presenters will issue a challenge to session participants that will directly address or build upon the idea articulated in the Ideas-into-Action Talk. 

Examples of Ideas-into-Action Talks and corresponding Action Groups include:

Ideas-into-Action Talks are 15-minute, “TED”-style talks delivered from a central stage. Each Idea-into-Action talk will be grouped into 90-minute, full-group sessions that will serve as plenary events throughout the Summit. 


 

Presenters of Ideas-into-Action Talks will articulate and share a challenge or key issue facing the future of music in higher education. Presenters will issue a “Call to Action” to the audience that will ask them to implement innovative solutions to the challenge at hand. 


 

Following the presentation, Ideas-into-Action Talks presenters will meet with session participants to co-lead an Action Group in which presenters will issue a challenge to session participants that will directly address or build upon the idea articulated in the Ideas-into-Action Talk. 

Examples of Ideas-into-Action Talks and corresponding Action Groups include:

Ideas-into-Action Talk: Many music students feel pressured to fit within rigid and narrow standards of success.

Action Group challenge: How can we expand upon the definition of what constitutes a successful music career to celebrate the identities of individual students? 


 

Ideas-into-Action Talk: Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are introducing both threats and opportunities to the music industry and educational institutions.

Action Group challenge: How can we develop adaptable systems that effectively respond to and integrate future technological innovations?


 

Ideas-into-Action Talk: Music schools have traditionally prioritized technical proficiency over artistic creativity.

Action Group challenge: How can we modify our student learning outcomes and assessments and communicate with our students to ensure that technique and creativity are equally valued?

Talks will be live-streamed during the event and recorded for social media and archival use by The College Music Society. Applicants will have the opportunity to review any recordings of their presentation(s) prior to distribution and will be able to opt out of the live-stream and/or recording if so desired. Please refer to the CMS Terms & Conditions for more information surrounding live-streaming and recording policies. Questions surrounding this requirement should be directed to Hannah Pearson at hannah.pearson@music.org.
 

CONSIDERATIONS 

  • All individuals who are selected to present on the Summit program are expected to register for and attend the full Summit. If the proposal is accepted, proposers will be asked to communicate with all participants in the presentation to ensure their registration by Wednesday, October 1. At its discretion, the Program Committee may exempt specific individuals, such as non-music professionals, from the membership requirement. It is the responsibility of the individual who submits the proposal to, upon acceptance, make summit planners aware of any non-music professionals involved in their presentation and to request this exemption.
  • Selected speakers will work with the Summit Program Committee to prepare their Ideas-into-Action Talk and corresponding Action Group challenge for continuity of style and cohesion with the Summit theme.
  • The College Music Society does not fund travel expenses of accepted presenters. 
  • Proposers must submit their own work and may not submit proposals on behalf of their students or others.
  • Proposals of a commercial nature that promote products and services will not be considered.
     

ELIGIBILITY

  • The Primary proposer must be a current member of The College Music Society. Presenters interested in submitting a proposal should confirm their membership status in advance of the submission deadline. Please note that the processing for membership applications and/or renewals is 1–2 business days. 
  • It is not necessary for the co-facilitator(s) to be a current member of CMS at the time of submission; however, if invited to join the program, they must join the organization. 
  • CMS members may submit multiple submissions in response to this Call, the Call for Innovation Presentations, and the Call for Sound Bites.
  • Not a member of CMS yet? Sign-up for a $20 CMS Trial Membership here. 


 

PREPARATION OF MATERIALS

The College Music Society’s Summit submission process is powered by Submittable. To submit a proposal, please (1) log in to the CMS members-only website using your username and password and then (2) click the ‘Submit’ button at the bottom of this Call. You will be directed to Submittable to complete your proposal. If you don’t already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to establish one. (Click here for help using Submittable and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions.) 

A complete proposal includes:

  1. Your Ideas-into-Action Talk title
  2. Which pillar does your Ideas-into-Action Talk most closely represent? (Belonging, Creativity, Technology, Advocacy)
  3. An outline of 250 words or less. Present the basis for your Ideas-into-Action Talk. Briefly outline the problem you are proposing for discussion and your call to action. Each talk will conclude with a clear goal or measurable outcome that will be discussed in the Action Groups to follow. These challenges should be bold, yet attainable (see examples above). The Program Committee welcomes multiple proposals for Ideas-into-Action Talks to ensure a diverse yet complete slate of topic ideas among each of the four pillars of Belonging, Creativity, Technology and AI, and Advocacy. 
  4. You may add up to 3 supporting materials to your proposal (optional). These might include printed music examples, photos, statistics, or relevant data. Please do not include lengthy documents, dissertations, CVs, resumes, or PowerPoint presentations. Neither file names nor uploaded materials should identify the proposer or any collaborators.
  5. A biography of the proposer and each co-facilitator, if applicable (250-word maximum per person).
  6. Contact details for all personnel involved in the presentation, including an email address, mailing address, and phone number for each person, as well as an institutional affiliation, if applicable.
     

TIMELINE

Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 pm Mountain Time on Thursday, June 26, 2025.

Proposers will be notified of their status by Tuesday, August 12, 2025.


 

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding this Call should be directed to: 

Brian Kai Chin, 2024-2025 CMS President and 2026 Summit Host
 

Questions concerning Summit operations should be directed to:

Hannah Pearson, CMS Managing Director

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