ISSN: 0004-9484

Volume 58 (1)

Guest Editors:|
Dr Simon Petty
Griffith University
s.petty@griffith.edu.au

Dr Rachel White
Western Sydney University
R.White@westernsydney.edu.au

Deadline for submission: 31 December 2025.

Call for Papers: Music Ahead – Shaping the Future of Music Education

The Australian Journal of Music Education invites submissions for a special issueinspired by the ASME XXV National Conference, Music Ahead, held in Brisbanefrom 26–29 September 2025. This issue will showcase scholarly work presented atthe conference and extend its central themes, focusing on the future of musiceducation in Australia and beyond.

The Music Ahead conference was a landmark event that brought together educators,researchers, performers, and advocates to explore the evolving landscape of musiceducation. With a strong emphasis on innovation, inclusivity, and ethical reflection,the conference challenged participants to consider how music education canrespond to the complexities of contemporary society and anticipate future needs.

This special issue seeks to capture the spirit of Music Ahead by publishing papersthat critically engage with the conference’s guiding questions:

How can music education navigate an increasingly crowded digital culturalspace?
What does true inclusivity look like in Australian music education?
How can advocacy for music education evolve in the 21st century?
What does it mean to educate for musical thinking, doing, and being?
We welcome submissions that address these questions through empirical research, theoretical inquiry, reflective practice,
or innovative pedagogical approaches.
Topics may include (but are not limited to):
Digital futures in music education
Inclusive practices and culturally responsive teaching
Embedding First Nations knowledges, perspectives, or pedagogies in musiceducation
Music education policy, leadership, and advocacy
Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations
Creative pedagogies and learner agency
Ethical frameworks in music education
Music technology and AI in teaching and learning
Community music and lifelong learning

Reimagining curriculum for musical thinking and being
Submissions should be original, scholarly, and aligned with the aims of AJME.Authors who presented at Music Ahead are
especially encouraged to submit, thoughcontributions from others engaging with the conference themes are also
welcome.
Submission Guidelines:
Abstract
The manuscript should include an abstract of not more than 200 words and three keywords.
Presentation
The type size of the font should be no smaller than 12 points and be double-spaced.Tables and figures should be no
smaller than eight points.
Length
Between 5,000 and 8,000 words (not including references). The entire manuscriptincluding the abstract and any figures,
tables, drawings, and references, generallyshould not exceed 20 pages.
Biographical note
Authors are requested to include a short biographical note of no more than 100 words.
Title page
The title page must include the following information: title of article; author’s name(and corresponding author in the 
case of multiple authors); current position andinstitution; current email, postal address, and telephone number.
There should also be the following statement on the title page: “This article issubmitted exclusively to the Australian
Journal of Music Education and, if acceptedfor publication, it is agreed that it will become the copyright of the
Australian Society for Music Education.”
Style
Articles should conform to the Publication Manual of the American PsychologicalAssociation (7 th ed., 2020).
Language
Writing should be clear, and jargon free; subheadings are useful in long articles.
Stereotyping
All forms of racial and gender stereotyping should be avoided.
Abbreviations, acronyms
Should be given in full at their first mention, thus: Australian Society for MusicEducation (ASME).
Submission
Articles should be sent electronically to both guest editors: s.petty@griffith.edu.au; R.White@westernsydney.edu.au; 
and publications@asme.edu.au
Review Process
The Editors will acknowledge manuscripts upon receipt. All manuscripts will then be sent out by the editor for anonymous
editorial review by members of the AJME Editorial Committee. To preserve anonymity in the review process, 
the manuscript and abstract should contain no clues to the author’s identity or institutional affiliation (they should appear
only on the title page which will not be sent out). Contributors can usually expect a decision concerning the acceptability
of a manuscript for publication within three months after receipt.
In reviewing the article, the referees are asked to consider the following:
1. Appropriateness of the article for the members of the Australian Society for Music Education
2. Scholarly content
3. Relevance of the issue for Australian music education today
4. Writing style (including, clarity of presentation)
Copyright
Author(s) are responsible for compiling and ensuring that any material that has influenced the research or writing has
been properly cited and credited both in the text and in the list of references. Once accepted for publication in AJME the 
author(s) assigns literary rights on the published article to ASME, so that the author(s) and the Editors are protected
from misuse of copyright material. However, the Editors should be informed at the time of submitting an article if any
of the material has been used elsewhere.
Multiple Submissions
Manuscripts should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Intending authors are encouraged to
contact the Editors if they have any questions or concerns. The Editors is particularly keen to assist prospective
authors who maybe considering submitting an article.