Presentationof the Greek Society for Music Education (GSME)

The Greek Society for Music Education (GSME) was founded in March 1997. It is a non-profit, scientific organization, with the main purpose of promoting music education in Greece and of developing music education as a field of scientific study. It implements research projects concerning the place of music in social life, in the mass media and especially in education. GSME also collaborates and exchanges data with universities, music pedagogical foundations, social unions, and governmental institutions, especially with international societies that work on the same purpose in Europe and in the other continents. GSME, among other things, organizes seminars, lectures and conferences on various areas of music education.

GSME shares the basic principles, function and goals of International Society for Music Education (ISME). From1998 to2018, GSME was an ISME National Affiliate Organization for Greece. Since 2018, GSME is a foundingmember of the Council of Professional Associations of ISME.Additionally, from 2020 collaborates with the UK branchof the European String Teachers Association (ESTA-UK).

GSMEs work is based only on the voluntary and generous offers of its members.Since1998 GSME publishes the annual journalMusic Educationwith practical teaching ideas and lesson plans(21 issues to date), under the supervision of its Editorial Board. Also, since 2004, the society publishes the annual refereed scientific journalMusical Pedagogics,under the supervision of a Chief Editor and a Scientific Committee(9 issues to date).Both journals include English abstracts.Furthermore GSME publishes the quarterly newsletterThe News of GSME (44 issues to date) and maintains a constantly updated website atwww.eeme.gr

G.S.M.Ehas also published:

• Lelouda Stamou (Ed.) (2019).Dialectics and Innovation in Music Education [in Greek with abstracts in English].Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Music Education.
• Ratliff, . ., Bazmadelis, . (2017).Directory of Music Libraries and Collections in Greece [in English]. Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Music Education.
• MayKokkidou (2017).From Kindergarten to early childhood [in English].Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Music Education.
• May Kokkidou (2009).European Music Curricula: Philosophical Orientations, Trends, and Comparative Validation(in English).Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Music Education.

• Xanthoula Papapanagiotou(Ed.) (2009).Issues in Music Education[in Greek]. Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Muaic Edication.

• Zoe Dionyssiou Sophia Aggelidou (Eds.) (2008).School Music Education: Planning, methodology and applications matters[in Greek].Thessaloniki: Greek Society for Music Education.

GSME has formed working groups and committees in the areas of pre-school music education, primary music education, secondary music education, the pedagogy of piano teaching and music in special education. At its headquarters in Thessaloniki, there is a library with music education materials (books, journals, videotapes, CDs and CDRoms and the like). The society continually informs its members and visitors of its activities and updates in the field of music education, through its website.

GSME has organized until now 7 webinars, 80 seminars/workshops, 7 series of seminars in different aspects of teachers lifelong training, 20 lectures, 6 one day conferences, 2 two day conferences, has supported the organizing of music educational-theatrical performances and co-organized several artistic events in collaboration with various cultural organizations. Additionally, the Society has organized 8 national/international conferences, and 1 with the collaboration of the Music Department of the Ionian University.

The1stGSME Conferencewas held on June 26-28, 1998 and the2ndConferenceon June 30 - July 2, 2000, both in Thessaloniki. The 3rd Conference, celebrating the 5th GSME Anniversary, was held on June 28-30 2002, in Volos. The 4thConference was held in Lamia1-3 July 2005. The 5th GSMEConference, celebrating the organizations 10thAnniversary, was held in 2007, June 29thJuly 1st, at theThessaloniki Concert Hall(TCH).The 6thInternational Conference of the Greek Society for Music Education wasco-organized by GSME, the Athens Concert Hall Organisation and the Music Library of Greece "Lilian Voudouri" and took place in Athens on 30 October-1 November 2009.

In 2012 GSME organized the 30thISME World Conference on Music Education.

During the lastbiennium, GSME opened a new area of activities by organizing and implementing Educational Programs for Schools. In 2010 the society designed and implemented the educational program calledMelodic Cityand in 2011 another one calledThe Strings narratestories for children,both at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall.

With its rapidly growing membership, its scientific profile, and its recognized national status, the Society is the only organization in the country that its membership covers all educational levels and supports and promotes music education in Greece. The GSME Board of Directors, Committees and all officers engaged work also in advocacy matters and bring proposals for improvement on music education matters to the Greek State e.g. Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and the Pedagogical Institute.