Our Commission members for 2024-2026:
The ISME Policy Commission brings together educators, scholars, researchers, and policy stakeholders from around the world to provide an international forum for debate, information sharing, and critical analysis of cultural, education, and media policy development.
Co-Chairs (2024-2026)
Dr. Tuulikki Laes
Senior Researcher & Academy Research Fellow
University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland
Contact: tuulikki.laes@uniarts.fi
Website: www.tuulikkilaes.com
Dr. Tuulikki Laes holds a position as a University Researcher at the University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland. She is appointed the Academy Research Feello by the Research Council of Finland (2023 – 2027).
Her research interests include: educational democracy, inclusion, policy, and systems thinking within (higher) music education.
She is the Chief – Editor of the Finnish Journal of Music Education and member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Music Education (IJME).
She has been involved in the Commission on Policy: Culture, Education and Media since 2020 and she will serve as the Commission Co-chair between 2024 and 2026.
Dr. Daniel Hellman
Associate Professor & Coordinator of Music Education
Missouri State University, USA
Contact: danielhellman@missouristate.edu
Specializations: Teacher education, education policy, social-emotional learning
Dr. Daniel Hellman is a Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at Missouri State University. With a strong commitment to fostering excellence in music education, he works closely with both undergraduate students preparing to become music teachers and graduate students who are working as music educators.
Dr. Hellman has held a variety of leadership roles in teacher education at the university, state, and national levels.
He currently works with several professional service organizations, including the Society of Music Teacher Education, the International Society of Music Teacher Education, the Commission on Policy: Culture, Education, and Media, the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, the Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning Research Advisory Board, and the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.
His research primarily focuses on preservice teacher preparation and exploring social issues in music education, contributing to the advancement of equitable and effective teaching practices in the field.
Commissioners (2024-2026)
Dr. Pan-hang Tang
Music Education Policy Researcher
Lecturer a The Education University of Hong Kong
With experience teaching music at different levels, Tang has developed curricula for various institutions. His research interests include: flexible-learning approaches, policy, and curriculum design.
Tang has presented his research findings at various conferences, and serves on several music-related committees, including the ISME Commission on Policy: Culture, Education, and Media, and the Committee on Music of Hong Kong Curriculum Development Council.
He is involved in a long-term collaboration with researchers from different regions to compare education policies. Tang’s passion for music education and extensive experience makes him a valuable asset to the field.
Dr. Euridiana Silva
Piano Teacher & Music Education Researcher
University of Brasília, Brazil
Dr. Silva is the CEO of Hear Listen and Play Ltda, a company focused on piano teaching for families and development processes for neurodivergent people. She is a consultant and researcher at the Steinkopf Institute and a member of the Mapa Autismo Brasil – Brazil Autism Map survey.
Her research interests include policies in curriculum design and development in Brazil and Latin America, piano and neurodivergence, music education, and lifelong learning.
She serves as a commissioner for the ISME Commission on Policy: Culture, Education, and Media, and is part of the Editorial Board of the Revista Chilena de Educación Musical – Chilean Journal of Music Education.
Dr. Richard Tilley
Assistant Professor of Music & Program Director for Undergraduate Music Education
Nazareth University Schools of Music, Rochester, NY.
At Nazareth, Dr. Tilley teaches undergraduate music education methods courses and graduate research and curriculum courses.
His scholarship focuses on issues of equity and access in music education, including policy examinations of federal education legislation and music education funding, music teacher preparation, and historical research.
In addition to serving on the ISME Commission on Policy: Culture, Education, and Media, Dr. Tilley is a member of the New York State School Music Association Curriculum Committee and the Rochester Area Council of Administrators of Music Education.
Dr. Johanna Abril
Researcher & Policy Specialist in Music Education
Professor and Lecturer in Music Education, Ecuador
Dr. Abril is an Ecuadorian pianist and music educator with extensive experience as a professor and research in her home country.
She has taught courses in music learning and curriculum development, focusing on innovative approaches to music education. Dr. Abril has played a key role in the contextualization of the Ecuadorian National Curriculum for the unique socio-environmental context of the Galápagos Islands.
Her work extends beyond academia through consulting projects with entities such as the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, the European Union, and various non-profit organizations, reflecting her commitment to advancing music education at both national, and international levels.
Dr. Abril’s research centers on policies in music education and the challenges of curriculum implementation by generalist teachers, addressing critical gaps in teacher preparation and policy enactment in the Ecuadorian public education system.
A former member of the Editorial Review Board for Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, she continues to contribute to global discussions on education through her current role as a commissioner for the ISME Commission on Policy: Culture, Education, and Media. Through her diverse roles, Dr. Abril remains dedicated to fostering equitable and culturally responsive music education.
Contact the Commission
For general inquiries about the Policy Commission:
- Co-Chairs: Dr. Tuulikki Laes and Dr. Daniel Hellman
- Facebook Group: Join our Facebook community (ISME membership not required)
- Instagram: @ismepolicycommission