2026 SAA & ASTA Student Day | Saturday, February 28

Saturday February 28 is SAA & ASTA Student Day at the National Conference!

All pre-collegiate students are invited to attend – it’s FREE!

SCHEDULE

7:30-8:00 AM: Registration (badge pick-up - YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER!) - Golden Gate Lobby

8:00-9:30 AM: Attend the Saturday Keynote and Musical Performances - Continental Ballrooms

9:30 AM-12:45 PM: Visit the Exhibits and get lunch - Grand Ballroom

1:00-3:00 PM: Sessions with Gateways Chamber Players - Plaza Room B

About Gateways Music Festival

Gateways Music Festival connects and supports professional classical musicians of African descent and enlightens and inspires communities through the power of performance. Founded in 1993 by concert pianist Armenta Hummings Dumisani in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the festival relocated to Rochester, New York, in 1995 when Hummings Dumisani joined the Eastman School of Music faculty. Approximately 125 musicians — drawn from major orchestras, top conservatories and the nation’s freelance artist community — participate in each festival. In 2016, Gateways formalized its longstanding relationship with the Eastman School and the University of Rochester, gaining critical infrastructure and support while remaining an independent nonprofit. This deepened partnership enabled the festival to expand programming and build its first professional staff.

Today, Gateways presents a full-orchestra festival each year alongside a growing constellation of programs: an annual chamber music festival; the Gateways Brass Collective, the nation’s only all-Black professional brass quintet; the Gateways Chamber Players, an all-star touring ensemble; and ongoing residencies and special projects. In 2023, Gateways launched Gateways Radio, a one-hour syndicated radio program heard nationwide, featuring music and stories from Black classical artists. Through all its work, Gateways builds an abundant, joyful home for Black classical artistry — amplifying its legacy, celebrating its present and shaping its future.

REGISTRATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY TBA (early February 2026)

Individual students will need to complete the registration as it includes a Minor Release Form. Use the link to register by TBA.

More information and registration form coming soon!

Student Day Participants will have access to sessions and events in the 2026 ASTA Student Day Schedule AND any ASTA or SAA Conference sessions, master classes, performances, the exhibit hall, and MORE!