ASTA National Conference

The ASTA National Conference is organized by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and serves string teachers, orchestra directors, performers, researchers, university faculty, and music education students.

Conference programming addresses string pedagogy, school orchestra instruction, performance technique, rehearsal strategies, repertoire, teacher education, and string education research. Sessions, demonstrations, research posters, performances, and professional activities bring together different areas of string teaching, research, and performance.

The 2027 ASTA National Conference will take place February 24–27, 2027, in Chicago. Asta Strings

For students and early-career educators in String Education, Orchestra Education, and Instrumental Music Education, ASTA provides a concentrated professional environment focused specifically on string teaching and learning.

Participants can explore teaching approaches for different ages and levels, ensemble rehearsal strategies, repertoire resources, and current research while learning about both school-based string programs and private instrumental teaching. Because the conference brings together school teachers, independent teachers, university faculty, researchers, and performers, it also provides opportunities to explore different professional pathways within string education.

The primary professional submission categories include Session Proposals and String Research Poster Proposals.

Session Proposals for the 2027 conference closed June 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. String Research Poster Proposals remain open until October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Asta Strings

Research posters should present a clear research problem, procedures, and results and are evaluated through blind review. Presenters and co-presenters must hold qualifying ASTA membership at both the time of submission and presentation, and accepted presenters are expected to register for and attend the conference. Asta Strings

String education students and teachers; school orchestra directors; independent string teachers; string performance and pedagogy researchers; instrumental music education students; university string faculty and teacher educators; and early-career professionals interested in string and orchestra education.