In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world causing physical, emotional, economic, and social upheaval in every part of the globe. It also catalyzed a renewed interrogation, by music education faculty in higher education, of philosophies and practices that had long gone unexamined. Music Education on the Verge: Stories of Pandemic Teaching and Transformative Change is a collection of narratives by music teacher-educators describing how they responded to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic with, and for, their students. Through these stories, the authors step back and reflect on the events, challenges, triumphs, and innovations discovered as they prepared the next generation of music educators in this time of crisis. They tell stories of reexamining old frameworks, discovering new affordances of technologies, humanizing pedagogy, deepening culturally responsive and sustaining experiences, and creating space for democratic practices. Each chapter offers examples of innovative music pedagogy that can be adapted and applied by music educators and music teacher educators with their students. Collectively, they paint a picture of possibilities, challenging music teacher-educators-- and educators in all fields-- to seek out openings and pursue pedagogies of change as we move forward into a post-pandemic world.
Judy Lewis is assistant professor of music education at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Andrea Maas is coordinator of music education and director of choirs at the University of Vermont.
In this deeply complicated and emotionally charged discipline of music teaching and learning, once in a while a book comes along that touches the very soul of what we do. Maas and Lewis have expertly edited and contributed to a collection of reflections about what really matters. Sad that it took a world pandemic to prompt these kinds of meaningful perspectives and stories of bravery and creativeness but thrilling to know how our profession responded. This book provides the chance to, indeed, imagine spaces becoming wider, new paths emerging, and a set of achievements that mark a new era for music and its meaning in our lives. --Peter R. Webster, Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California Music Education During Crisis is a testament to music educators' dedication to supporting students and the ability to adapt in the context of a global pandemic. The specific pedagogical and curricular approaches that authors share are valuable in and of themselves, yet it is the intimacy of witnessing our colleagues' journeys, challenges, and processes of transforming curriculum and practice that invites us to pause and reflect on possibilities in our own contexts. These stories of pivots in technology, community, and roles as learners and educators are not just lessons learned through finding ways of being and teaching during COVID-19 but catalysts to reconsider what music learning and teaching might be as we move now and in the future. --Evan Tobias, Arizona State University This book is highly recommended for any library that serves educators of any level and any discipline. While the case studies are focused on music, any educator can get insight into new practices for adapting their classes to new modalities by teaching in online environments, incorporating humanizing pedagogy, and incorporating democratic practices into their classrooms. In addition, music educators of a wide range of ages can benefit because the case studies range from adaptations made for elementary-aged students through the university level. -- "Music Reference Services Quarterly"
