DETAILS

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the lives of children and youth, its social, economic and emotional toll reached unimaginable levels. Although we are yet to fully understand the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on child and youth development, recent research offers some important clues. Measures of social distancing adopted to mitigate the effects of the pandemic continue to have an impact on the socioemotional and cultural development of children and youth. The pandemic has also highlighted socioeconomic differences in terms of access to formal education, access to technology, and music education, and has forever changed how music is taught and learned. As we begin to cautiously return to our pre-pandemic activities, music programs and offerings are continuously being modified to accommodate health and safety needs. The time is ripe to reflect on the ways that the pandemic has changed ourselves, our students, and music teaching and learning. In this talk, we will examine recent studies on the effects of the pandemic on the socioemotional wellbeing of children, youth and their families, along with studies on music learning and participation—by children and adults--during these stressful times. We will also consider recent literature on music program adaptations across the world, and teachers’ perceptions of teaching during the pandemic. To conclude, we will engage in conversations about the lessons learned and ways forward for music education.