During the spring semester of 2026, Dr. Matthew Brooks, Associate Professor and Director of Orchestral Activities in Music & Medicine at UNO, served as a Guest Conducting Lecturer at James Madison University (JMU). Invited by JMU Director of Orchestras Dr. Kira Omelchenko, Brooks worked with Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts conducting students in their orchestral conducting studio and conducting pedagogy courses, mentoring graduate orchestral and choral conductors in rehearsal technique, teaching and leadership practices, career preparation, and professional and academic marketability.

The appointment marked a return to Brooks’s alma mater, where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting, Pedagogy, and Literature under the tutelage of the late Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert McCashin. His guest teaching residency provided an opportunity to support the next generation of conductors while reconnecting with a program that played a formative role in his professional development.

UNO offers the Master of Music degree and graduate certificate with a concentration in conducting. Interested students can learn more by contacting the School of Music or visiting the website: https://www.unomaha.edu/academic-programs/graduate-degrees/music-mm.php