About

The idea of an ISME group to address health and wellness for musicians was originally conceived in 2004 and through a number of meetings at ISME world conferences and pre-conference seminars led to the establishment first, of the former Forum for Instrumental and Vocal Teaching in 2008 (today established as the Instrumental and Vocal Music Teaching Commission), and then to the Musicians' Health and Wellness Special Interest Group in 2012.

The Musicians’ Health and Wellness Special Interest Group (MHW SIG) is a flourishing part of the International Society for Music Education (ISME). At the 2024 World Conference in Helsinki topics relating to musicians’ health and wellness were addressed in over 40 presentations, 12 workshops, and 16 posters as well as at a Presidential Session. This demonstrates a huge growth of interest and dedication to this topic in the 12 years since the  foundation and first appearance of the MHW SIG at the Thessaloniki World Conference in 2012. 

The MHW SIG has a close relationship with the Instrumental and Vocal Music Teaching Commission (IVMTC) as we share many mutual interests and members. Musicians’ Health and Wellness is also relevant to the activities of other ISME Commissions, in particular the Education of the Professional Musician Commission (CEPROM), Music in Schools and Teacher Education Commission (MISTEC), Community Music Activity Commission (CMA), and Early Childhood Music Education Commission (ECME). The aim of the MHW SIG is to promote the health and wellness of musicians, which is allied to but contrasts with the aim of the Special Music Education and Music Therapy Commission (SMEMTC) ‘to promote the role of music to foster physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being across the lifespan’.

We would like to say a special thanks to the ISME members who helped to found the MHW SIG and have supported its activities tirelessly over the last decade: including Maravillas Diaz, Judy Thönell, Sylvia Scharzenbach, Gail Berenson, Graham Bartle, Eckart Altenmueller, and Carina Joly. 

Mission

The mission of the Musicians’ Health and Wellness Special Interest Group (MHW SIG) is to enable, promote, facilitate, and support cultures in which musicians of all disciplines and levels of proficiency can thrive. We believe that environments that foster joyous and sustainable relationships with music depend on the collaboration of all who both directly and indirectly affect the health and wellness of musicians.

Aim

The aim of the MHW SIG is to create spaces for those interested in supporting our mission to collaborate and be inspired by sharing research and best practices that will enhance the education and support available to musicians. The term  ‘musicians’ includes, but is not limited to, those working or studying at any level as performers, teachers, composers, conductors, community musicians, music therapists, music technology specialists, or within other musical disciplines.

Activity

The mission of the MHW SIG is achieved through:

• Curating the Musicians’ Health and Wellness strand at World Conferences

• Representing MHW within the activities of other ISME Commissions to raise the profile of health and wellness as enhancing the practice of music

• Hosting regional and worldwide meetings that include collaboration, education, presentations, workshops, and/or discussions on topics of interest

• Collaborating with organisations who are pursuing goals related to our mission

• Maintaining an online presence in keeping with technological advances (for example, the dedicated ISME MHW SIG Facebook group). 

• Advocating for our mission within our professional and personal lives as musicians and supporters of musicians

MHW SIG Members

• 2024-26 members to be approved by the Board

Connect

• To get in touch with the MHW SIG please email Dr. Naomi Norton. 

• You can connect with the MHW SIG by joining their Facebook group: you do not need to be an ISME member to join the group. 

• There is a YouTube playlist from the MHW SIG 2020 Online Seminar available to watch on the ISME YouTube channel.

The steering group members for the MHW SIG (2024-26) are:

• Dr. Naomi Norton (Convenor)
• Dr. Lisa Burrell
• Dr Christine Guptill
• Dr Clorinda Panebianco 
• Dr. Ann Shoebridge

The advisors for the 2024-26 period are:

• Dr. Sylvia Schwarzenbach
• Dr. Gail Berenson
• Dr. Eckart Altenmúller 
• Dr. Carina Joly