CONFERENCE AWARDS

Distinguished Service Award

Distinguished Service Award

Linda A. Hartley

Tonight, we gather to celebrate excellence in music education, leadership, and service. The OMEA Da Capo Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor conferred by our association, and was first presented in 1953. This award recognizes an individual whose career exemplifies the highest standards of teaching, service, and professional outreach. Highlighted in the numerous letters of nomination and support received this year, these values are embodied in this year’s recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award, Dr. Linda Hartley. Dr. Hartley’s name shines brightly as a symbol of these ideals, and it is my great privilege to introduce her this evening.

Dr. Linda Hartley’s influence in music education spans over four decades, and is marked by unparalleled dedication and visionary leadership beginning at Tallmadge City Schools and culminating at the University of Dayton. As a Professor at the University of Dayton, Dr. Hartley held a full-time music education faculty position from 1991-2020, serving as Associate Dean in the School of Education and Health Sciences from 2015-2020. During her tenure, she cultivated programs that were not just successful but transformative. Her students consistently benefited from her innovative teaching methods, her tireless mentorship, and her ability to instill a lifelong passion for music. Kathy McGrady, in her nomination letter, highlighted Linda’s “dedication and enthusiasm for music education,” describing her as a “professional and personal role model for educators everywhere.”

In her role at the University of Dayton, Linda achieved remarkable milestones. She increased marching band enrollment by 92%, tripled the undergraduate music education enrollment, and achieved nearly 100% job placement for her students since 1992. Her impact extended beyond the classroom, as she empowered her students to excel and inspired them to lead with the same passion she modeled every day. JD Latorre, one of her former students, described her as “one of those rare individuals who possesses organizational expertise, expert-level knowledge, and the ability to connect personally with students. Dr. Hartley is the most influential teacher in my development as a music educator.”

Beyond her exceptional teaching, Dr. Hartley’s service to the music education profession is extraordinary. She has held numerous leadership roles within OMEA, including serving as Editor of TRIAD magazine and chairing the milestone 2007 OMEA 75th Anniversary Conference. Mark Hensler aptly captured the breadth of her contributions, noting her “tireless efforts” and her ability to “advance the profession through visionary leadership and commitment to excellence.” As Editor of TRIAD, Linda ensured that the publication maintained the highest standards, serving as an essential resource for educators across the state.

Dr. Hartley’s legacy also extends far beyond Ohio. She is a respected clinician, adjudicator, conductor, and researcher. One of her most groundbreaking achievements is the New Horizons Music Program at the University of Dayton, which has brought the joy of music-making to senior adults. This program, which Dr. Hartley founded in Fall 2000, exemplifies her lifelong commitment to providing opportunities for music education at all stages of life. Gretchen Germann noted that “Linda’s passion for music and her ability to build connections among diverse groups of people truly set her apart. She has cultivated an atmosphere of joy, growth, and collaboration within the New Horizons Band, making it a cherished institution in our community.”

Her commitment to lifelong learning and innovation is evident in every aspect of her career. Dr. Hartley’s publications can be found in journals like the Journal of Research in Music Education and Contributions in Music Education. She has presented at academic conferences, and even piloted online degree initiatives—always pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music education. Dr. Shelley Jagow described her as “a colleague, a friend, a role model, a leader, a collaborator, a visionary, and a pioneer.”

Dr. Hartley’s career is a testament to the transformative power of music education. As Melissa Stamm so beautifully put it, “Dr. Linda Hartley is nothing short of a magician. She practices what she preaches and models what it is to be a great teacher and, most importantly, a great person.”

As we recognize Dr. Linda Hartley tonight, we celebrate a career defined by excellence, innovation, and selfless dedication. She has truly made a “significant difference in the lives of others,” as the criteria for this award state, and she has done so with grace, passion, and a relentless drive to serve. Please join me in welcoming and congratulating this year’s OMEA Da Capo Distinguished Service Award winner, Dr. Linda Hartley.

OMEA Distinguished Service Award Acceptance Speech

Gratitude

Thank you, Dan, for your kind and thoughtful introduction, and for organizing this presentation. Thank you to past OMEA president Kathy McGrady for nominating me for this honor, and to the OMEA Da Capo committee, which comprises all of our OMEA past presidents, for recognizing my service to the profession of music education.

As a long-time member of OMEA, I have attended many of these award presentations, but never imagined I’d be standing up here today accepting this distinction. Honestly, I always thought this award was for old people...

But seriously, it is humbling to be here today. It may be cliché to say that this honor was not achievable by myself, but it could not be more truthful. None of us who dedicate ourselves to education, work alone.

Support

I want to begin by offering a shout-out to my family, including my parents who are listening from above, for providing the support I needed as I navigated my calling as both an educator and a volunteer. I realize that on many occasions, time with family has been “unbalanced”, to say the least, and there have been sacrifices to allow me to pursue serving others.

Several of my family members are here today, and once again, taking their time to support me. Thank you—it means so much.

To my friends and colleagues: Your encouragement has been a tremendous source of support throughout my career. You provide an important perspective, a check and balance system, guidance, and inspiration to me as I navigated various career paths in this field.

And to every student of all ages with whom I have had the privilege to share the power of music on their life journey, I am deeply grateful. (Even for the drummers)

In addition to teachers, parents play a significant role in encouraging musical interests and passions. My parents were similar to all of you parents here this evening. For example, they’d go to great lengths to watch me perform—

including the time that they were literally caught speeding while on their way to Bowling Green State University’s football stadium to catch the pre-game festivities,
gave the local police a sob story of how they were just trying to get to the game to see their daughter perform,
and then promptly received a police escort to the stadium.

(Way to go, parents!)

I have spent some time reflecting on why I am being recognized for this award and decided to condense my thoughts to three main points that possibly could provide a small takeaway for you this evening.

I have been fortunate to enjoy what I call a full-circle perspective, including, as a

school music student,
school band director and music department chair,
college band director,
music teacher educator,
higher education administrator,
researcher,
the music director of an adult music education program,
and my most important role — as a parent of a student who engaged in school music education opportunities from kindergarten choir to high school marching band.

To this day and beyond, this full-circle perspective informs and fuels my passion to serve this profession.

I encourage you to search for and learn from various positions and roles in your career and other parts of your life. Through wide lenses, choosing to make a difference in your profession becomes manageable and rewarding.

Reflecting on those who shaped your career can be mind-boggling. You realize the list is endless, and can then begin to appreciate how fortunate you are to have chosen a field that makes such a difference in the lives of so many. I’ll share two examples here.

When I was in 5th grade and decided to play the saxophone, I missed the first lesson taught in the summer band program due to a scheduled family vacation. My neighbor, Mr. Charles Boggess, who had been the Ravenna High School band director, offered to make a house call to give me my first saxophone lesson so that I wouldn’t fall behind the others. This was one of my first impressions of how teachers go the extra mile for their students.

In seventh grade, I thought I’d like to become a band director someday. Even though I never knew a female band director at that time (and you may have noticed there aren’t too many of us now, either…), this dream of mine was supported not only by my family but also by my music teachers and mentors in the Ravenna City Schools - Ed Marini, Joe Schiavone, and Doug Bennett.

At that time, I did not realize how fortunate I was to receive guidance and instruction from such a talented team of educators.

And my third point (which greatly reflects on my life much more than I realized): Take risks

By volunteering to serve your profession, you will meet new friends and colleagues, learn something new, and improve organizations that serve you and your students.

While guiding music education students at the University of Dayton, I would often use the phrase ‘you need to get outside of your box.’ This means taking a risk—doing something that might be outside of your comfort zone.

I was very proud when several of my college students chose to serve as elected state officers for Ohio’s Collegiate Music Education Association. It gave me great joy to watch them navigate the inner workings of OMEA, increase their network of colleagues and mentors, and better prepare them for their future careers. Those students chose to take a risk, and they made a difference.

I also tried to lead by example, even though I often felt ‘outside of my box’.

To illustrate my own service as an OMEA state officer, I can point to the benefits I received as the volunteer editor of OMEA’s state journal, the Triad. During these two years, producing 12 issues of the Triad, I received almost every state’s music education journal in the mail. What a special view of the other state music education associations! I also had the privilege to attend the National Association of Music Education’s leadership conferences.

These experiences along with so many others increased not only my knowledge and understanding of our state organization but also OMEA’s revered national reputation as one of the leading and most active state music education associations in the country.

Gratitude and Reflection

Teaching in the classroom is only a part of the education experience.

Expanding your perspective is essential.
Offering gratitude for supportive teachers and mentors is a blessing.
Taking risks and giving time and expertise are key to enhancing the profession and enriching your overall experience as an educator.

It is genuinely beyond rewarding to see, full circle, how our passion for music education can positively affect others throughout their lives.

Thank you for joining me on this incredible journey of supporting and serving music education.

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