TheISME Young Professionals Focus Group (YPFG) explores ways through whichISME can better serve students and beginning music educators. Thegroup held its first meeting at the Tenerife Conference in 2004. Sincethen, its work has been supported by a group of enthusiastic youngISME members from many countries.

Atotal of 84 responses in six different languages has been received fromISME members of 15different countries. The results have provided directions to the new plans that the group is now working on during the 2006-2008biennium.

Atthe Malaysian Conference in 2006, the group organised a number of sessionsthat were especially catered to the young professionals. Amongthem, the "Research Workshop for International Young Professionals"was the most successful. It was a collaboration between ISMEYoung Professionals Focus Group and the ISME Research Commission. Fiveresearch presentations by young professionals from five different countrieswere featured. Each presentation was followed by comments and suggestionsby research experts (who are ISME Research Commissioners).Dueto the overwhelming success of this event, the group is planning to organisemore sessions of this kind at the ISME World Conference in Bologna in2008.

TheYoung Professionals Focus Group has been chaired by Lily Chen-Haftecksince 2002. Its current working group includes:

• Mimi Chen (Taiwan, China)

• Maria Lebed (Russia)

• Ma Li (China)

• Kelly Parkes (USA/ Australia),

• Alex Ruthmann (USA)

• Shinichiro Suzuki (Japan)

• Christine Yau (Australia)