2026 ISME 37th World Conference

Unity in Music Education: Building Bridges for All

From Patricia A. González-Moreno, President, International Society for Music Education: Centered around the theme “Unity in Music Education: Building Bridges for All,” this conference reaffirms our shared mission to foster a global music education community that is inclusive, innovative, and connected.

Broadening Participation and Opening the Pipeline: Issues and Innovations for PreK–12 Music Education in the United States

NAfME is pleased to take part in ISME 2026 with this panel discussion (date and time to be announced). This panel session provides an overview of some important issues and innovations in PreK–12 education in the United States framed by key questions for discussion. Topics include recruiting and preparing the next generation of music educators, broadening the pipeline for the profession, supporting new teachers, expanding perspectives on musicianship, and building community at different levels through student programs, virtual regional/national professional learning communities, virtual symposia, and councils, societies, and other communities of practice.

Speakers

• Cecil Adderley, Ph.D., NAfME President (2025–2028), Chair, Music Education Department, Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts
• Wendy Sims, Ph.D., Co-Chair, NAfME Music Teacher Profession Advisory Committee, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor and Director of Music
• Education, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
• Lisa Crawford, Ph.D., Chair, NAfME Council for Music Composition, Composition Teacher, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Los Angeles, California
• Jared Rawlings, Ph.D., Director, School of Music, University of Maryland School of Music, College Park, Maryland

More than a research conference, ISME 2026 will feature A Global Experience Designed for and by K–12 Music Educators: two immersive days designed to spark creativity, strengthen practice, and bring fresh ideas back to your classroom.

Sessions designed for:

• Classroom and ensemble strategies
• Creativity, composition, and music technology
• Inclusion, equity, diversity, and well-being
• Truth and Reconciliation sessions (locally curated)
• Culturally responsive and restorative pedagogy
• International perspectives and global collaborations

Participants will also have access to:

• Thursday World Conference Keynote
• Featured Session (John Jacobson)
• Evening conference performances
• Closing Ceremonies
• The interactive ISME Creator Space*

* Running alongside the K–12 sessions, you will have access to the ISME Creator Space—a vibrant, drop-in environment where educators can explore, create, and connect between workshops. Designed to extend session learning, the space invites hands-on discovery, conversation, and fresh inspiration throughout the day.