The International Society for Music Education (ISME) is a professional organization of persons involved with music education. It was founded in Brussels in 1953[1] during the UNESCO-sponsored conference on "The Role and Place of Music in the Education of Youth and Adults".[2] ISME's mission is to build a worldwide network of music educators, to advocate music education globally and across the lifespan, and to foster intercultural understanding and cooperation.[3]
Activities
The society holds conferences every two years in a different part of the world and include workshops, paper presentations, keynote addresses, symposia, and performances.[4][5][6] In addition, ISME supports regional conferences in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, and has a range of specialist interest groups to nurture particular areas of music education. These specialist groups include seven long-established commissions[7] that are focused on: research; community music activity; early childhood music education; education of the professional musician; policy: culture, education and media; music in schools and teacher education; and music in special education, music therapy and music medicine. Each commission holds a biennial seminar, usually immediately prior to the main conference. In addition, the world conference includes a forum for instrumental and vocal teachers.
The ISME International Office co-ordinates all communication related to the work of the society. The society acts in an advisory capacity to UNESCO and is a member of and closely affiliated to the International Music Council.[9]
References
^Callaway, Frank (1979). "ISME—The First Twenty-Five Years". College Music Symposium. 19 (Spring): 239–242. JSTOR40351773.
