| Type: | Learned society |
| Status: | Society |
| Purpose: | Educational |
| Headquarters: | Melbourne, Australia |
| Language: | English |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Bo-wah Leung |
| Leader Title2: | Immediate Past President |
| Leader Name2: | Emily Akuno |
| Leader Name3: | Patricia Gonzalez |
| Leader Title3: | President Elect |
| Key People: | Ryan Zellner, CEO |
| Main Organ: | General Assembly |
| Affiliations: | International Music Council, UNESCO |
| International Society for Music Education | |
| Abbreviation: | ISME |
| Region Served: | Worldwide |
| Membership: | music education professionals |
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]
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 society's main sponsor is the NAMM Foundation.[8]
The International Journal of Music Education is the official journal of the society and is published four times a year by SAGE Publications. Each year the society also produces a series of academic books through Routledge.
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]