Research Roundup: A spring roundup!

Since we are officially in conference season for academics, and we’re in a quiet spot for Research Shorts, I’ve decided to pull together a Spring Research Roundup – and find out what’s been going on over the last few months of music education research. As in our 2024 research roundups, you’ll see a green tick (✅) to show when an article is open access, and a lock symbol (🔐) if it’s behind a paywall.

As you’d expect, AI is continuing to be a popular theme. Xia Wang’s work on developing creativity finds positive results in the introduction and use of generative AI (🔐). On digital musicianship, a lovely piece on ‘multi selfing’ by Radio Cremata looks at how musicians lay down different tracks ‘digitally clon[ing] themself into several single selves, creating layers and a musical collective that would otherwise be impossible without the mediation of technology’ (✅). Radio looks at school settings and spaces where this music is shared, and considers how music educators can share these practices.

There was more internet-related work with an exploration of music content on ‘TeachersPayTeachers’, a shared lesson preparation service, that found that a small number of ‘teacherpreneurs’ were producing the most used music material (✅). Elsewhere, a fascinating piece explores how ‘music education practices can support the well-being of families living in demanding life situations’. Ann Marie Stanley’s work on recruiting music education teaching students, although focused in a US context, has much to offer us in the UK. She asks,

‘Are there best practices in engaging with teenagers in this decision-making process? Practices that enable them to see themselves as creative musicians, with autonomy, and the power to make a difference in the world in a number of as-of-yet unforeseen and unpredictable ways?’ (✅).

Similarly, Whitney Mayo’s exploration of admissions policies around undergraduate music programs invites curriculum reviews along with other measures (🔐). Also in Higher Music Education and Conservatoires, Thomas Calkins, Wessel Coppes, and Pauwke Berkers look at how popular music is defined by music educators, and consider what educators’ perspectives are on ‘educational aims’ (✅).

Elsewhere, the role of instrumental tuition and the range of formats at different institutions is explored (🔐). A new critical consideration of the Royal College of Music has also just been published, Inside the Contemporary Conservatoire. Routledge have a few other gems: Kimber Andrews and Kristy Swift’s edited collection Trauma Informed Pedagogy and the Post Secondary Music Class came out this month, and an important collection called Research Perspectives on Music Education in Ibero-America Celebrating 10 Years of ISME’s Revista Internacional de Educación Musical.

That’s it for this spring round up – we hope you have a lovely restful time whatever the weather where you are.