mcpherson has held leadership roles within the australian society for music education for 18 years, serving as state chair, national president (1995–1997) and on state and national committees in new south wales, tasmania and western australia. he has held leadership roles within the international society for music education for 34 years, beginning as review editor for the "international journal of music education", and then moving to serve as treasurer (1996–2000), executive committee and member of the isme board of directors, president-elect (2002–2004), president (2004–2006), past president (2006–2008), and chair of the isme constitution, bylaws and policy manual review committee (2014–2018). he has also served as an executive board member of unesco "international music council" (2011–2013), and board member of the "music council of asia and oceania" (2011–2013). largely informed by his corpus of work looking at attitudes of musicians toward their own practice, and broader community perceptions of music learning, he has worked extensively to promote the value of music training and exposure in people of all ages, particularly in childhood, having given hundreds of teacher workshops and presentations across all parts of australia, europe, the uk and the usa.