ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we consider two fundamental aspects of implications for research and practice in music education and community music (further aspects are discussed in Chapter 29). The first part is a commentary on music psychology research related to applications in music education and music in the community. In this part of the chapter, we imagine the history of music psychology in four phases: (1) establishing a new discipline; (2) investigating basic perceptual processes; (3) maturing into more musical investigations; and (4) increasing focus on applications. Whether a hypothesised shift toward increasing applications from music psychology research to music education and music in the community will occur remains to be seen.
The second part presents what we know (and don’t yet know) about research and practice during the coronavirus pandemic. Here, we discuss music in a time of COVID-19. Although very little peer-reviewed research has been published at the time of writing, some basic understandings are beginning to emerge. General principles of risk mitigation relating to all musical performances include the possibility of reducing exposure risks by: (a) entrance screening; (b) attention to physical parameters, including air and ventilation, room, space and duration parameters (e.g., staying 6 feet apart, limiting performances to 30 minutes); and (c) individual protective measures (e.g., frequent hand-washing, wiping down surfaces, wearing masks or face shields, spit protection, use of bell covers, separation partitions). Specific findings related to various categories are presented by performance type.
