The National Urban Music Leadership Conference (UMLC) was founded in 1995 by Judy Svengalis, then Music Supervisor for the Des Moines, Iowa schools.  She realized the complexity of the jobs of urban school district music administrators, supervisors, fine arts directors, and music or visual and performing arts teachers.  Due to her tireless work of phone calls all over the United States, a group met for the first time in Chicago, Illinois in 1996 to share successes and problems through formal presentations and informal conversation.

Participants from the 1st UMLC meeting in Chicago, Illinois. (1996)

            The organization is intensely focused on the needs of urban school district music programs.  Participants include music administrators, supervisors, curriculum managers, music specialists and others who are interested in improving the teaching, learning, and management of music and arts programs in urban areas. 

            The UMLC continues to meet annually to address concerns in public and private school music education programs in urban areas.  Participants still find great value in the sharing of successes and challenges through formal presentations, informal conversation, and workshops.  Throughout the time of a typical conference, there are opportunities for participants to gather in small groups to share experiences, plans, ideas and have collegial exchanges with professionals of similar focus. 

            Topics such as NCLB, Standards in the Arts, Assessment, Advocacy, Professional Development and Recruiting and Retaining of Music Educators are addressed at the annual conference among other topics of vital importance to urban music education.  Presenters at the conference are distinguished leaders in the arts community including MENC presidents, university faculty, music corporation executives, state level education administrators, arts organization directors and performers.  The experience and expertise of these presenters contributes to the success of the UMLC.  Additionally, each conference, like that very first in Chicago, includes visits to schools of the host district.

Visiting a classroom as part of the 1st UMLC in Chicago, Illinois. (1996)

UMLC Conferences
 
1996
Chicago, Illinois

1997
Detroit, Michigan

1998
St. Louis, Missouri

1999
New York, New York

2000
Fort Worth, Texas

2001
San Francisco, California

2002
Lincoln, Nebraska

2003
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2004
Newark, New Jersey

2005
Detroit, Michigan

2006
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2007
Cincinnati, Ohio

2008
Fort Worth, Texas