I’m thrilled to head to Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia, for the upcoming College Music Society International Conference—an event that promises to be as vibrant and dynamic as the cities themselves. We are especially excited about this conference, which has been in the making since 2018. After postponement due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, we look forward to finally bringing this event to fruition. We are especially grateful to our program chair, Andrés Gomez-Bravo from EAFIT University, who has been a fantastic partner in planning this conference over the past seven years.
What excites me most about this conference in Colombia is the opportunity to engage with an international community of creatives pushing the boundaries of sound and storytelling. We are eager to engage with our colleagues from our host institutions, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá and Universidad EAFIT in Medellín. I’m looking forward to sharing ideas, collaborating on new projects, and gaining fresh perspectives that I can bring back to my own work. Colombia is known not just for its music but also for its warmth and resilience—qualities that resonate deeply with me and reflect the values of The College Music Society.
CMS international conferences are truly unique, blending the best aspects of an academic gathering—insightful presentations and the camaraderie of professional colleagues—with the vibrant essence of the host city, seamlessly intertwining its people, musicians, cuisine, and culture. At this conference, we are proud to be joined by the International Alliance for Women in Music, and we look forward to the many joint sessions and conversations to come.
Thank you again to our hosts at Javeriana University and EAFIT University. I want to recognize the brilliant work of CMS Conference Planner Charlie Chadwell and our fantastic staff, Hannah Pearson, Managing Director, and Jeffrey Loeffert, Executive Director. To those planning to join me in Colombia, please join us for one of our drop-in Zoom sessions. To those who cannot make it to Colombia next month, I encourage you to consider attending the next International CMS conference in 2027!
BC
Brian Kai Chin
President, College Music Society
