LMEA Conference Travel Made Possible with Advance-Student Research Program Support

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, with special guest artists Project Trio, performed at the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) Conference in New Orleans on Sunday, 18 January with the support of the Advance Student Research Program's office.
The Symphony’s featured performance reached an audience of more than 3,000 students from across the state. This engagement represents our single largest recruiting event of the academic year and provides unparalleled visibility for the University and the School of Music.
Following a similar featured performance at LMEA in 2025, we experienced a 65% increase in first-time freshman enrollment in the School of Music—demonstrating the profound and measurable impact of this opportunity.
Advance-SRP was excited to support transportation for 80 student musicians to New Orleans allowing them to present the Symphony at the conference. In addition, this initiative supported a featured performance on UL Lafayette's campus, complemented by several master classes working with Trio-students, providing meaningful educational enrichment to an even broader community.
In conjunction with the Symphony’s performance, our faculty were well represented throughout the conference program. Dr. Brett Landry, Dr. Abby South, Dr. Brianne Little, and Prof. Troy Breaux delivered professional development sessions and participated in panel discussions addressing instrumental pedagogy, jazz performance practices, music learning and cognition, and teacher mentorship. Their collective presence further underscored the Deparement of Music's leadership in music education, performance, and scholarly engagement across the State and region.