Expanding Reflexivity of Professional Education in Music in Times of Crises

Introduction

This multidisciplinary and multi-methods research understands the pandemic as a unique pedagogical ‘interruption’ that can and should inform Higher Music Education (HME) pedagogy, curriculum development, and policy work to strengthen the professional development and careers of a variety of music professionals. Pursuant to that goal, the research responds to global discourses that advocate for a transformation of HME and music professionalism in response to our rapidly changing societies and their ecosystems; in particular, the main objective is to inform and reconstruct HME so as to enable it to creatively prepare future music professionals for the uncertainty, rapid changes, and crises they will surely encounter beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this context, special attention is paid to the sudden changes and demands experienced by HME agents and many stakeholders within the Finnish context before and during the pandemic. Additionally, sub-studies framed at the European and international levels in cooperation with a variety of research collaborators, representative of a wide scope of artistic and academic fields, are also included.

Results to date

Refereed journal articles

• López-Íñiguez, G., McPherson, G. E., Zarza Alzugaray, F. J., & Angel-Alvarado, R. (2022). Effects of passion, experience, and cultural politics on classical musicians’ practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology.
• López-Íñiguez, G., McPherson, G. E., & Zarza Alzugaray, F. J. (2022). Effects of threat and motivation on classical musicians’ professional performance practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 834666.
• Pozo, J. I., Pérez-Echeverría, M. P., Casas-Mas, A., López-Íñiguez, G., Cabellos, B., Méndes, E., Torrado, J. A., & Baño, L. (2022). Teaching and learning musical instruments through ICT: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Heliyon, 8, e08761.

Other scholarly outputs

• REACT – Rethinking Music Performance in European Higher Education Institutions. (2021). Artistic career in music: Stakeholders requirement report. UA Editora.

Invited keynotes

• López-Íñiguez, G.(2022, April 2). “Well-being, Careers, and Professional Education of Young Artists in Times of Crises”. Opening Keynote at The Young Musicians and Dancers of Europe Speak about Culture!, event organized by the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO), the University of the Arts Helsinki, and the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. Paavo Hall, Music Centre, Helsinki (Finland).

Refereed conference paper presentations

• López-Íñiguez, G., &Westerlund, H. (2021, December). Finnish composers’ pathways and livelihoods in a changing professional ecosystem. Paper presented at the 1st International Music Livelihoods Symposium. Brisbane (Australia).