National Association for Music Education Keynote Address @ National Assembly, 2026

The Polyphonic Soul: Finding Our Shared Humanity through the Dialogic Spirit of Jazz

• Speaker: Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds (Dean of Professional Education, Berklee College of Music)

• Theme Alignment: United through Music

In a world increasingly marked by polarization, the music classroom is one of the few remaining spaces where deep listening can bridge ideological divides. But true musical and social unity is not a unison—it is polyphonic.

In this soul-stirring, participatory keynote address, celebrated jazz vocalist, composer, and academic leader Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds reframes jazz not merely as a genre, but as a masterclass in civil discourse and human empathy. Drawing from her deep expertise in Black American Music (BAM) and her decades as a performing artist, Dr. Helm Hammonds will explore how the "dialogic spirit" of jazz teaches students to stay present through dissonance, honor diverse cultural heritages, and discover their unique voices within a collective groove.

Part philosophical invocation and part live musical performance, this keynote will feature live songs woven directly into the narrative. Attendees will leave deeply inspired, emotionally restored, and reminded of the sacred role music educators play in tuning the hearts of future generations.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding "Unity vs. Uniformity" in contemporary music curricula.

• Utilizing jazz improvisation and dialogue as a framework for classroom equity and empathy.

• Strategies for educators to sustain their own identities as performing artists.