Call for Conference Session Proposals
We would like to invite you to apply to present a session at the 72nd NOA National Conference, January 6-9, 2027 in the Twin Cities of MN, which will be held at The Renaissance Depot. Join directors, teachers, musicologists, performers, and creators as we focus on our theme, “Opening Doors: Exchanging Practices and Expanding Possibilities.”
The overall conference theme invites us to exchange ideas, share our expertise, and connect with colleagues eager to learn and grow. We encourage proposals that relate to:
- Creativity & Inclusivity
- Developing community initiatives
- Tools for 21st century opera training
- Presentations related to Dominick Argento and Wesley Balk
- Opera outreach education
- Musicological Research
- New Works and Innovations
The conference committee welcomes proposals that relate to these themes, but it is not a requirement that proposals address the conference themes. We invite all members of our diverse communities to apply.
Apply to Present
Please complete the Session Proposal Form by May 1, 2026, for your presentation to be considered. Presenters will be notified by mid-July whether their proposal has been accepted.
Please make sure to read the guidelines below, carefully before submitting your proposal. Submission of a proposal will indicate your acceptance and acknowledgement of them; if you are submitting on behalf of a group, the submitter is responsible for making sure all presenters are also aware and agree to the guidelines.
Guidelines
The National Opera Association is a volunteer organization. Attendees and presenters are responsible for all meals, travel, housing, and related expenses. If a session proposal is accepted for presentation at the conference, the presenter and all participants must pay the registration fee for the conference, with the exception of certain invited guest presenters or clinicians, upon invitation by the Board.
Submitters of a session proposal must be NOA members in good standing in order for the proposal to be considered. All proposals must include 150-word bios for each presenter or panelist for the session. Preference will be given to sessions from presenters who have not presented at an NOA national conference recently, with exceptions for presenters invited on behalf of an NOA steering committee.
Requirements for sessions must be included in the proposal form, including human resources (singers and pianists), logistical (tables, lectern, chairs) and technical (any special A/V needs beyond basic video projection). Any changes to an approved set-up must be submitted to the Vice President of Conferences by October 31, 2026. Please note: access to conference spaces for rehearsals of performance-based sessions is extremely limited. If your session will require extra setup time or rehearsal time on site, please note this request in the comments field.
Presentations selected from this Call for Proposals will generally be assigned 50 minute slots, except for exceptional sessions of broad interest to attendees that may be assigned Plenary Sessions of 60 or 90 minutes. Q&A portions of any presentation need to be included within the allotted time. A moderator will be assigned to ensure that all sessions will end on time, in order to allow time to break down and set up the next session. In the spirit of collaboration, you may be asked to partner with another presenter on a similar proposed topic.
The presenter(s) agrees to allow an audio or video recording to be made of the session. Portions may also be made available on the NOA website or affiliated channels.
The presenter(s) agrees to allow photos to be taken during the session which may be used on the NOA website or other NOA publications.
Questions?
Questions regarding the conference may be addressed to:
- Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, NOA VP for Conferences, at
- Kirk Severtson, Executive Director, at