There’s been a gradual increase in the number of music conferences in India over the last few years, with the launch of Rise/Del, India International Music Week (IIMW) and Orange Juice Lab’s “creative data forum” Mapped.

There’s also the live-focused Shows of India, which was first held in 2021. At these events—as at the decade-old All About Music—explorations of India’s music education sector is only occasionally a part of the discussions.

Educators community Out of the Box’s Soundboard will be among the rare conferences that’s specifically focused on the field.

Scheduled to take place at live venue The Humming Tree in Bengaluru on 2 August, Soundboard is a day-long “symposium that aims to equip educators with practical tools, fresh perspectives, and stronger professional networks to better support learners in an ever-changing creative landscape”.

The programme will comprise workshops, a panel discussion, a fireside chat, a mixer and two presentations, including one that will feature highlights from Out of the Box’s 2025 Music Education Survey report. 

“We often create spaces for students to perform and grow, but educators rarely have spaces designed for their own learning. Soundboard was created to change that,” says singer-songwriter, harpist and founder of Mumbai-based arts education organisation OffSet, Nush Lewis who started Out of the Box with fellow music educator, pianist Shanelle Rodrigues in 2024.

The list of speakers for Soundboard includes Bindu Subramaniam, singer-songwriter and the co-founder and CEO of the Mumbai-headquartered SaPa (the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts); Western classical music pianist Karl Lutchmayer; singer and actor MD Pallavi; and choir director and founder of the Bengaluru-based Kiara Academy of Performing Arts, Wendy Dickson. 

The opening keynote address will be given by singer, researcher and actor Shilpa Mudbi whose Urban Folk Project is an initiative that archives and performs the diverse folk-art forms of the state of Karnataka.

While the complete list of speakers and schedule are yet to be announced, tickets are available here.