2025 Conference

November 7-8, 2025 at Blackburn College, Carlinville, IL

The Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA) is hosting the 2025 State Conference on November 7-8, 2025 at Blackburn College, Carlinville, IL. And Save the Date for the 2026 ISMTA conference, November 6-7, 2026, at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Registration opens mid-September

Early registration deadline October 26

Conference Resources

Registration Fees: (Early Bird / Regular)

To attend the Friday night banquet or lunches (for an additional fee), you must register by October 26. There will be a cash bar Friday night.

Conference Hotel

Hampton Inn by Hilton Litchfield, 11 Thunderbird Circle, Litchfield, IL. There are not any hotels in Carlinville, but this hotel is an easy 20 minute drive to Blackburn, and the preferred hotel for Blackburn guests. Rates are as low as $99 a night, and include breakfast! Use the booking links below. Need only one night? Simply click the link, and edit the dates at the top of the booking page. The last day to reserve rooms at the group rate is Monday, October 20, 2025.

IMPORTANT HOTEL UPDATE 10/10/2025

The Hampton Inn now has very limited availability, especially on Friday night. We have added a second conference hotel.

Holiday Inn Express is a newer hotel, only ten years old, and right next door to the Hampton. Since the hotel is newer, the rates are slightly more: $119 for standard rooms and $134 for suites. Still free parking and free breakfast. Again, click the link, and edit the dates at the top of the booking page. The last day to reserve rooms at the group rate is Monday, October 20, 2025.

Still need another option? Try the Baymont Hotel Litchfield

Conference Artist/Clinician: PETRONEL MALAN

“Formidable…dizzying…magical.” These words from New York reviewer Harris Goldsmith vividly illustrate pianist Petronel Malan’s uniquely captivating style. Indeed, as a multiple Grammy® nominee and gold medalist of several international piano competitions, Petronel continues to enthrall audiences worldwide.

Petronel Malan Biography

“Formidable…dizzying…magical.” These words from New York reviewer Harris Goldsmith vividly illustrate pianist Petronel Malan’s uniquely captivating style. Indeed, as a multiple Grammy® nominee and gold medalist of several international piano competitions, Petronel continues to enthrall audiences worldwide.

Lauded by reviewers as an unmistakably creative force in the classical music industry, Petronel’s critical acclaim culminated in the nomination of three Grammy® Awards, including “Best Instrumental Solo Album” for her debut disc Transfigured Bach. Continuing her recordings under Hänssler Classic, Transfigured Mozart (2006) and Transfigured Beethoven (2008) followed to great critical acclaim. Transfigured Tchaikovsky (2012) was awarded “The American Prize of Excellence in the Arts.” Transfigured Brahms included the world-premiere recordings of 4 transcriptions by American composer Lowell Liebermann.

Petronel maintains a full performance schedule as recitalist, orchestral soloist and chamber musician in major venues throughout the world. After her European debut in Rome, further highlights have included Carnegie Recital Hall, Théâtre du Châtelet & Salle Cortot (Paris), Mozarteum (Salzburg), Liszt Museum (Budapest), Orchestra Hall (Chicago), Alte Handelsbörse (Leipzig), Bass Hall (Fort Worth), as well as the Ravinia, Gilmore & Music in the Mountain Festivals. Petronel has appeared with orchestras such as the St. Petersburg State (Russia), Martinú (Czech Republic), Bucaramanga (Colombia), Batumi (Republic of Georgia), Sicilian Chamber (Italy), and several others in the US and South Africa, under the batons of Vasily Petrenko, Bernhard Gueller, Karina Canellakis, Dmitry Manilov, Yoshimi Takeda, James Brooks, Robert Hanson, and Fuzao Kajima.

Ms. Malan’s career was launched following five gold medals at international piano competitions throughout the United States. These included the Louise McMahon, Missouri Southern, Los Angeles Liszt “Budapest Concert” and Hilton Head International Piano Competitions. She also garnered the grand prize in the Web Concert Hall Competition (2000) and gold medals in the Grace Welsh Piano Competition and the Young Texas Artist Award.

Born in South Africa, Petronel began lessons with her mother at age four, continuing with Adolph Hallis, Joseph Stanford and Albie van Schalkwyk. She debuted with the Johannesburg Symphony at age ten and subsequently won all major national competitions, before moving to the United States. Petronel completed both her graduate degrees at the University of North Texas. Her teachers included Steven de Groote, Ralph Votapek and Joseph Banowetz and intensive coaching sessions from American legend Earl Wild.

Although residing in the United States, Ms. Malan continues strong ties to her native South Africa. She received the “Rapport/City Press Prestige Award” as one of the “10 Most Inspirational Women in South Africa,” and has appeared on magazine covers, fashion spreads and even as picture-clues in crossword puzzles. She was awarded both a KKNK Kanna and a KykNET Fiesta awards for her live performances in South Africa. Apart from a love for vintage gowns, Ms. Malan’s stage wardrobe is designed by foremost South African designers. A frequent speaker and promoter of classical music in schools, scholarships in her name are awarded to promising young musicians.