Vision
We believe that everyone has the right and ability to make, create, and enjoy their own music. We believe that active music-making should be encouraged and supported at all ages and at all levels of society. Community Music activities do more than involve participants in music-making; they provide opportunities to construct personal and communal expressions of artistic, social, political, and cultural concerns. Community Music activities do more than pursue musical excellence and innovation; they can contribute to the development of economic regeneration and can enhance the quality of life for communities. Community Music activities encourage and empower participants to become agents for extending and developing music in their communities.
In all these ways Community Music activities can complement, interface with, and extend formal music education structures.

Mission
The CMA commission was established in 1982 within the International Society for Music Education (ISME) following previous formations as the Education of the Amateur Commission (1974), with Magdalena Stokowska (Poland) as Chair. The name changed to the Out of School Activities Commission in 1976 and was chaired by André Ameller (France) from 1976-1982. The first seminar was held in 1988.
The commission aims to:

• Facilitate the exchange of information on areas relevant to the field of community music.
• Encourage debate and dialogue on different international perspectives on community music and on current issues within the field.
• Encourage international cooperation.
• Where possible enter into dialogue with musicians and music educators in related fields.
• Disseminate research and other information.

Past Seminars

2006 Singapore
Creating Partnerships, Making Links, Promoting Change
Chair: Phil Mullen, UK (2004-06)

2004 Tenerife
Chair: Pat Shehan Campbell, USA (2002-04)

2002 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Five Themes on Community Music
Chair: Huib Schippers, The Netherlands (2000-02)

2000 Toronto, Canada
Lived Music, Shared Music Making: Community Music the New Millennium
Chair, Kari Veblen, Canada (1998-2000)

1998 Cape Town, South Africa
Many Musics-One Circle
Chair: Betsy Oehrle, South Africa (1996-98)

1996 Liverpool, UK
Here Comes the 21st Century-The Challenges to the Future
Chair: David Price, UK (1994-96)

1994 Athens, Georgia, USA
The Role of Community Music in a Changing World
Chair: Tim Joss, UK (1992-94)

1992 Auckland, New Zealand
The Role of the Music Educator in the Multicultural Society
Chair: John Drummond, New Zealand (1990-92)

1990 Oslo, Norway
Training Musicians and Music Educators to Meet Community Needs
Chair: Ingrid Olseng, Norway (1988-90)

1988 Wellington, New Zealand
Community Music-Interaction between Amateurs and Professionals
Chair: Einar Solbu, Norway (1982-88)

For more information see www.isme.org