Among life’s many minor exasperations – out-of-tune pianos (and pianists!); commuting to work; the Utilitarian Tendency in music education; rainy bank holidays – is the occasional murmur that services equivalent to the ISM’s can be obtained at a fraction of the cost from this or that association, which as it happens also caters more closely for specific interests....

The big point first. One of the main aims of the ISM, and of this magazine, is to provide musicians with a broader context than they encounter in their daily business. It is well-known that professionals in any sphere – not just music – tend to work intensively within their particular niche, talk to those in the same niche, and concentrate on practical issues which affect that niche. All entirely justifiable, of course; but the danger is a narrowing of outlook and a lack of awareness of what colleagues are doing who also operate in the same general sector, yet do not follow the same specialised path. A surprising number of private teachers, for example, seem unaware of the profound changes that are taking place in music education at schools, colleges, conservatoires and universities; yet these changes are likely to have a serious impact on their work in the future, since (to take only one instance) their pupils will be coming to them with very different attitudes. Similarly, it is important to make musicians fully aware of the philosophical debates which are taking place about the role of music in society, or indeed the very nature of music. These may be disguised as jolly initiatives for young folk; but that does not lessen their philosophical significance. Hence the ISM sees its task both as representing the musical profession as a whole to the powers that be in these debates, and as providing continuing professional development in the broadest sense, by identifying and engaging the overarching themes which bind the entire profession together – not simply to help people become better pedagogues, for example (which is a fair enough ambition, though perhaps at risk of prescriptiveness), but to help them become more rounded, reflective and thoughtful practitioners of the Art of Music.

On the more quotidian aspects, we cannot emphasise strongly enough that the ISM’s membership services are unique. We do not accept that this or that association provides the same level of benefits as the ISM; though we believe that over-eager publicity can tend to give this impression (inadvertently, we are sure; but omission can be quite as misleading as commission). To take only two examples: our 24-hour Legal and Tax Helpline, and our 24-hour Counselling Helpline, can be rung at any hour of the day or night, as often as a member wants, for as long as they want, about any personal or professional issue: callers will then be talking immediately to professionally qualified specialists who will advise them on their position – requests do not have to be filtered through the ISM’s offices, and there is no limit on the advice. Perhaps even more valuably, our special Legal Expenses Insurance scheme will pursue relevant legal cases, taking them through the courts and tribunals if necessary – all at no cost to the members concerned. Readers will, we think, look in vain elsewhere for the equivalent of the leaflet What Members Say, in which we record each year some of the heartfelt thanks from members whose legal difficulties, whether with taxation, broken contracts, unpaid fees, copyright, defamation or other disasters, have been successfully resolved by ISM Head Office staff or the Society’s legal advisers.

The final choice is, of course, down to individuals. But if it is a question of services, then we would urge readers to look at the small print – and if a question of philosophy and culture, then to study the large print!

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