Lessons on Life Learned in Montréal

I was delighted by the warm reception my research received. The topic on pedagogical love was considered refreshing and sparked interest among the international audience. I also connected with researchers working on various other topics, including learning through VR in music education and potential student exchange in primary teacher education. I truly hope that something meaningful will grow out of these inspiring contacts and that our generalist teacher students may benefit from these efforts.

There were over 1,000 presenters at the conference from all over the world. I attended e.g. ones on comparative studies on teacher education practices in Europe and learning music later in life. Most of the presentations I chose had no obvious connection to my own research interests. This turned out to be a good decision: my understanding of music education research gained new nuances.

There were many interesting workshops as well, including sessions on improvisation and embodied learning.

Of the four keynote speakers, I especially enjoyed the keynote by country music singer-songwriter Tenille Townes, who spoke about songwriting as a means of human connection. She shared heart‑warming stories behind her songs and performed a few of them. There was not a dry eye in the audience.

The Most Important Lesson Learned

I also had time to explore Montréal, the second-largest city in Canada (about two million inhabitants) and the fourth-largest French-speaking city in the world. Montréal is an exemplary multicultural metropolitan area with over 200 spoken languages, countless ethnic restaurants, and music from all over the world playing in the streets. I climbed Mount Royal to admire the breathtaking view over the city, walked in the old harbor and Plateau du Mont-Royal, and visited two beautiful basilicas—one of which, I learned, hosted Céline Dion’s wedding in 1994.

In summary, I had a memorable visit both to my first—and hopefully not my last—ISME Conference and to the wonderfully welcoming city of Montréal. I am grateful to the Department of Teacher Education and the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä for making this opportunity possible.

The most important thing I learned was not something new but rather a reminder: how essential it is to remember and genuinely try to understand the different cultural contexts in which we work, live, and experience life. True understanding does not happen instantly; it takes time, listening, openness, and patience.

As with everything in life, the best part of the conference was the people: discovering once again that we share a common purpose and,  with surprisingly many, the same sense of humor. That we have families and the ability to experience wonder and love. Time and time again, this is the most moving and meaningful insight I gain when traveling and interacting with people from different corners of the world.

On this note, I share two short encounters. The first—and surprisingly also the last—encounters I had in Canada were with a representative from Auckland, New Zealand, and a taxi driver who was actually a business graduate from Algeria. Upon arriving at the conference site, my new New Zealand friend was there. We did not know each other; she simply took me under her wing and showed me where to go. Funnily enough, I ran into her again at the airport when leaving Canada. Both of our flights were cancelled, so we had what I called “a post‑conference,” during which we shared not only our most meaningful conference experiences but also personal stories about our families. It was lovely, and I truly hope to see her again.

Likewise, my kind taxi driver taught me wonderful and interesting things not only about Montréal but also about his background, his reasons for driving a taxi, and the rich musical culture of Algeria.

In the same breath, I remind myself that we have an international campus, and we should work on making it even more international. And we should work on encountering each other with greater interest and respect. Let’s work on this together, shall we.