About ASME

The Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) was established in 1967. Its establishment followed discussions between nationwide representatives after the successful UNESCO Conference on Music Education held in Sydney in July 1965.

The purpose of ASME is to encourage and advance music education at all levels as an integral part of general education and community life, and as a profession within the broad field of music.

Aims and Objectives

ASME exists to:

support the right of every person to a musical education
promote quality music education
assist music educators to develop and extend their professional awareness of the whole spectrum of music education at a local, national and international levels
maintain and develop the status of music
provide a forum for the exchange of ideas
encourage Australian music and composers
develop teaching methods relevant to Australian students in all contexts.

ASME's aims are implemented by such means as:

publishing The Australian Journal of Music Education, ASME Update, Chapter Newsletters and Journals, reports of ASME conferences and other relevant publications
organising conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops at both national and Chapter levels
encouraging increased involvement in music and music education by ASME members and students
establishing and promoting liaison between music educators at all levels - within each Chapter, across Chapters, and in other countries
co-operating with all music organisations, with other official bodies representing other fields of education, and with those responsible for administration at all levels of education throughout the nation.

ASME is Australia's only affiliate organisation of the International Society for Music Education (ISME), which exists under the auspices of UNESCO's Music Council. ASME also represents music education on the National Affiliation of Arts Educators (NAAE).

As an Australia-wide organisation, ASME operates under a National Executive and representative National Council who work through Chapters in all of Australia's States and Territories.

At the State and Territory levels, ASME is represented by Chapter Councils which include the positions of Chapter Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, as well as non-office bearing Chapter Council members. All ASME personnel work in an honorary capacity.

At the National and Chapter levels, ASME represents music education in its broadest sense.

ASME Trust Fund
In 1993, the Australian Society for Music Education Trust Fund was established. It is registered as a tax deductible fund on the Registrar of Cultural Organisations, Section 78 (1) (a) Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. The fund will be used to establish a capital base and the interest will be used for activities with the following objectives:
* the encouragement of young Australians in the fields of performance and compostion;
* the sponsoring of the development of young music educators;
* the housing of resource material and provision of professional development activities for music educators

If you wish to contribute to the ASME Trust Fund, please print off the donation form (9k,pdf).

ASME website: http://www.asme.edu.au Email: asme@asme.edu.au