Keynote Speakers Include 6x Grammy Nominated Artist Yola And Grammy Nominated Artist And Disability Advocate Lachi
National Teacher Conference
July 22–24, 2026 in Fort Collins, CO
Thursday, April 23 - Music Will - the largest non-profit music education program for schools in the United States - will host their annual Modern Band Summit this July 22–24, 2026 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. At the helm are powerful keynote speakers 6X GRAMMY Nominated artist YOLA, and Grammy NominatedArtist, Disability Advocate, and Founder Lachi. This three-day national professional development conference is like no other. This year, thanks to generous donors, Music Will has waived registration costs for all attendees! Educators from all over the country come together to learn and play music, and delve into popular music techniques through the lens of the Music Will Approach. This is the premiere gathering for those passionate about the rising tide of culturally-responsive music education. Modern Band Summit is the only conference educators need to achieve their professional development goals, transform their classrooms, and amplify student impact.
YOLA shares “I’m truly honored to join Music Will’s Modern Band Summit as this year’s keynote speaker. Music education changed the course of my life when I got bilateral vocal nodules and had to learn how to heal, and I know firsthand how powerful it is for young people to have access to creatively express themselves and to heal themselves be it physically or emotionally. To stand alongside these educators, who are shaping the future of music with such passion and authenticity, is incredibly inspiring.”
This year’s theme is Level Up - as their community grows, Music Will is committed to growing too: deepening support, strengthening systems, and creating experiences that truly serve modern music educators.
For hands-on modern band professional learning, a powerful community of educators, and a new level of access, Music Will is proud to return to Fort Collins with the continued support of longtime presenting sponsor, Bohemian Foundation. With additional generosity from Let Music Fill My World, the registration fee is fully covered for all attendees this year.
For more information on this year’s summit, registration and how to get involved visit:
https://musicwill.org/modern-band-summit/
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YOLA. Photo Credit: Joseph Ross
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Lachi. Photo Credit: Caroline M. Stucky
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Music Will’s work in Colorado is made possible by longstanding partnerships with organizations equally committed to transforming music education. In partnership with Take Note Colorado, Music Will has helped to expand access to student-centered music instruction in schools and districts across the state. This collaboration aims to provide universal music access for every K-12 student in Colorado.
This year’s artist keynote speaker is YOLA, a six-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, songwriter, and NAACP Image Award–nominated actor whose genre-defying sound blends soul, pop, country, and funk. She broke through with her acclaimed debut Walk Through Fire, earning four GRAMMY nominations including Best New Artist, and continued to expand her sonic range with Stand For Myself, hailed by NPR as one of the best soul records in decades. A powerful vocalist and innovative storyteller, YOLA has also appeared on screen as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Elvis and on Broadway in Hadestown. Her latest project, My Way, marks a bold return to her UK roots and reaffirms her as a fearless, genre-fluid artist.
In addition, Lachi will support as the opening keynote speaker on July 22nd to kick off the summit. Lachi is a world-touring recording artist, award-winning music executive, Disability Culture champion, Recording Academy National Trustee, and producer of a GRAMMY-Nominated album. Born legally blind, Lachi created the organization RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), a consultancy group, collaborating on disability-inclusive solutions with the likes of Netflix, Live Nation, and more, while bringing opportunities to its growing global network of creative professionals with disabilities. Lachi is also the host of PBS American Masters series Renegades, which celebrates unsung American heroes with disabilities. Lachi’s latest book, I Identify as Blind (Penguin Random House / Tiny Reparations Books), is a collection of essays using humor, straight talk, and celebrity interviews to celebrate and amplify Disability Culture, identity, and power to mainstream discussion.
Both artists will also interact with teachers in smaller breakout sessions, providing incredible access and insights that they can bring back to their classrooms for years to come.
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Photos from 2025 Modern Band Summit
Credit: Music Will
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On Thursday, May 7, Music Will will hold their benefit in New York at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. The benefit supports Music Will’s mission to transform young lives through innovative, multi-genre music education programs in public schools. This year, Music Will will honor 13x Grammy Award winning producer, artist and songwriter T Bone Burnett, legendary hip hop music mogul, Grammy Award winning and Billboard chart topping singer/songwriter Maren Morris, and Hip Hop icon and business mogul Master P. Bruce Eskowitz, COO Red Light Management, will receive the Inaugural Music Icon Award. With the forward momentum this year’s benefit and celebrity partnerships will provide, Music Will can reach their goals to reach more students and kids across the country. Over the next five years, Music Will aims to impact 11 million students annually through their programs and pedagogy. Tickets are now available here.
ABOUT MUSIC WILL
Music Will is the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the United States. Since 2002, they have provided teacher training, curriculum, and instruments to over 6,000 schools across all 50 states, impacting over 1.8 million students to date. Their mission is to transform lives by transforming music education, while making it equitable and accessible to all students. Music Will's inclusive modern band curriculum is as diverse as the students they serve, spanning a wide range of genres including rock, hip-hop, pop, R&B, Latin, country, and more.
The program's inception dates back to 1996 when Dave Wish, a first-grade teacher in East Palo Alto, CA, began giving free guitar lessons to his students in response to the lack of a formal music education program at his school. What started in one elementary school in a single city has spawned a national movement, expanding to more than 1,000 school districts nationwide. Through partnerships with teachers, districts, departments of education, and industry leaders, the organization is expanding opportunities for students to engage in music programs that reflect their diversity and interests. Their collaboration with over 100 colleges and universities also ensures future teachers are prepared to foster student-led, culturally responsive learning from day one. Learn more at musicwill.org.
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