History of SMEI
The Society for Music Education in Ireland (SMEI) was established in June 2010 following extensive consultation and correspondence, and a series of planning meetings during 2009 and early 2010. The first meeting took place against the background of the 6th Annual Symposium on the Sociology of Music Education, held in Limerick, Ireland, July 2009.
SMEI’s inaugural seminar took place in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra (now DCU) in November 2010. The event included the first general meeting of the organisation in which the constitution was ratified by a wider membership. The initial committee was elected to continue its work until the first AGM scheduled for May 2011. Officers of the committee were also formally ratified at this meeting. This one-day seminar also featured several research papers, a showcase event involving young brass players, and an interactive community music workshop. Several messages of support and goodwill were received from music educators nationwide, while greetings from ISME members the world over helped situate the SMEI event within the broader international context and network. SMEI was granted ‘ISME National Affiliate (INA) status in August 2010 and is now a member of ISME Council of Professional Associations (following a change of structure within ISME).
The 1st Annual Conference took place in UCC, Cork in November 2011 and since then SMEI has run a very successful annual conference within each academic year, disrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2021-2022 academic year. Keynote speakers for each conference have included nationally and internationally renowned music education practitioners and researchers. Of particular note was the 3-day ‘Gathering Conference’ of 2013 which brought together the largest forum of national and international speakers on music education held in Ireland since the mid 1990s, including David Elliott (Canada/USA), Marie McCarthy (Ireland/USA), Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (Ireland), Keith Swanwick (UK), Harry White (Ireland) and Sheila Woodward (South Africa/USA).
In lieu of the annual conference for 2021-2022, the society ran a series of five webinars with the aim of facilitating and supporting music educators within a wide range of contexts through the challenges of music learning and teaching arising from the consequences of the pandemic. In November 2021, the society organised its first virtual conference. The theme of this 10th Annual Conference was ‘Amplifying Music Education’, which was an opportunity to both look back and look forward. Find out more here.
Over the past decade the SMEI committee has taken on a national advocacy role. The society has submitted responses to: Department of Education and Skills draft report on Better Literacy and Numeracy (2011); Draft specifications for an Artistic Performance short course within the new Junior Cycle (2014), Draft Specifications for Junior Cycle Music (2017).
In 2014 SMEI launched an ‘Honorary Membership’ award to recognise Irish members of the music education community who have demonstrated distinguished service to the promotion of music education, nationally and internationally. To date awardees have included Dr Ita Beausang, Colum Ó Cléirigh (RIP), Professor Marie McCarthy, Dr Albert Bradshaw, Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (RIP) and Sr Bernadette Sweeney.
