Dr. Nancy Conley

Nancy Conley is the Assistant Professor of String Music Education at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches coursework in string techniques, pedagogy, and literature. In addition, Dr. Conley supervises student teachers, leads the KSU String Project, and conducts the KSU Philharmonic. She also serves as the faculty advisor to the KSU collegiate chapter of ASTA.

Dr. Conley received the Ph.D. in music education with a viola performance cognate from Michigan State University, the M.M. in performance from Binghamton University, and the B.M. in music education and performance from Ithaca College. Before pursuing her doctoral degree, Dr. Conley was a public school music educator in central New York, where she taught elementary, middle, and high school instrumental music for seventeen years. An active performer while teaching, Dr. Conley played with the Binghamton Philharmonic, Tri-Cities Opera Company, and the Edgewood String Quartet. As a doctoral student, she performed with the Lansing (MI) Symphony, and was a member of the Orchestra of Northern New York in Potsdam while teaching at the Crane School of Music. She currently plays with string quartets in the Atlanta area.

Prior to joining the faculty at KSU, Dr. Conley was the Director of Music Education at Clayton State University, where she coordinated the music education program, taught courses in music and music education, supervised student teachers, and was an instructor of applied violin and viola. Dr. Conley also served as faculty advisor for the collegiate NAfME chapter and co-directed the Clayton County Honor Orchestra.

Before moving to Georgia, Dr. Conley taught at the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam, where she taught string technique and pedagogy classes and directed the National String Project. While at Crane, Dr. Conley developed a Musician Wellness course and the Lab Ensemble, a course that encouraged pre-service music teachers to use improvisation, arranging, and composition in the classroom.

Dr. Conley has taught in various summer music programs, including several years at the New York ASTA String Institute at Ithaca College. She has conducted Senior High Area All-State festivals in New York State, and served as a clinician at other school music festivals. Dr. Conley is a frequent clinician in Atlanta-area schools.

Dr. Conley has presented at state, regional, and national conferences. Her research interests include the use of improvisation as a tool for teaching and life-long learning, music teacher education, and musician wellness. She holds the certification for Music Learning Theory Elementary General Music Level One, and has completed teacher training for Suzuki Violin Level One and Two.