COVID-19 and Music Education

When someone says “coronavirus,” numerous thoughts come to my

mind, a signi cant one being the swift lockdown in March, bringing us two
weeks of virtual learning. Or so we thought. It was assumed that there
would be a safe and speedy return to school, but evidently, this was not
the case.

I was reluctant to have online classes, especially orchestra. Being a

junior at Central Bucks East, enamored with music and always excited to
learn something new, I wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of playing from
home. It was de nitely not a perfect solution. I remember sitting on the
carpeted oor of my basement guest room, learning easier pop and lm
pieces to coast us through the end of the year.

This was the case with pretty much all of my classes. However, a major
di erence between the two it’s arguably much harder to teach music
education from a distance than to teach, say, biology or math(at least in
my opinion). The process of grasping information in developing one’s
musicality can’t be taught from a textbook in addition to the overall
experience. It’s no wonder how it’s harder to teach someone to play an
instrument from behind a screen.

That being said, the standards for music instruction had to be adapted to
t the current circumstances, which obviously would make it a more
di cult task to meet the needs of students. As a high schooler, I’ve been
playing for eight or so years and have had plenty of immersion through the
rehearsals, private lessons, or concerts. I feel as though I’ve developed my
skills playing viola enough to advance at my instrument. I still learn plenty,
but more for technique and expression, such as dynamics and bowing
style. I no longer need guidance with basics(e.g., learning notes and
rhythms).

But what about those just starting o who do? I’m concerned for the next
generation of music students—when will they be able to get the full
experience? Will they develop just as those before them?

While I believe there is a healthy balance of teacher instruction and

independent exploration required to properly achieve discipline, the course
of current music education puts this balance at risk. Students, if they are
not guided enough by teachers, could learn improper technique, setting
them back. Kids need a certain level of teacher instruction, so that they are
pushed enough in order to truly get a good understanding of their studies.
It’s harder to do that through Zoom.

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For a few years now, I’ve been at a stage in my musicianship where I like
to explore on my own. I can still get something out of my orchestra class,
but I prefer to play the more challenging pieces in chamber strings, or to
play songs I like. I look to artists who have mastered their craft and draw
from them. I started to discover my own style during the peak of the
pandemic. What will beginning instrumentalists have as their pandemic
musical experience?

That’s what I want for the new generation: learning and growing to a place
where they feel con dent enough to adventure beyond the safety of the
basics, where they can pave their own paths, and make their own
contributions to the world of music. And it’s interesting to see how playing
through a pandemic is going to impact students.

My advice to young musicians—whether you just started playing an

instrument in school this year, this month, or yesterday—is just have fun
with it. By giving yourself that enjoyment, you begin to recognize the
beauty in what you do. The reason you learn the basics that you do right
now is so you can build on them and get better, so you master your
instrument and nd your style.
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