To music scholars and educators who are accustomed to focusing on the aesthetic and empathetic power of music quite separate from the world of commerce or international strife, this special issue points to ways in which music can, in fact, be quite instrumental and integrative in these large, important spheres of the world today. The issue has developed from a core group of scholars at Indiana University, spanning the areas of business and music and their national and international contacts, which came together for a conference in the summer of 2017. The issue also brings in the voice of activists, educators, and philanthropists who have worked on long-term projects in these areas around the globe. Their views are presented not only in the text, but also in the audio of interviews where they share their perspectives. The multimedia dimension enhances the texture of communication that is possible on these topics. And throughout the issue are questions and answers that have been posed in the course of conversation about these interwoven topics.

Though I joined the Indiana University group just as they were preparing for the 2017 conference, I’m pleased to have been part of this ongoing effort and to be able to work with the final papers and to help offer these perspectives to the College Music Symposium readership.

Ruth M. Stone
Bloomington, Indiana
August 2018