The Royal Musical Association Research Chronicle is seeking contributions for a special issue on 'Music and Covid-19', guest edited by Dr Larry Zazzo (Newcastle University) and Dr Adam Behr (Newcastle University).

Submission deadline: March 21, 2022

Editors: Dr Larry Zazzo (Newcastle University), Dr Adam Behr (Newcastle University)

Link to more info

In Humanties and Social Sciences Communications, a study was published that surveyed representative samples in six countries in Europe, North America and Asia. The main aim was to assess whether and why people had changed their music listening and playing behaviors in the context of the first Lockdown and to identify the main factors that predicted successful socio-emotional coping via music. Interestingly, the main predictor turned out to be interest in Coronamusic.

Authors: Lauren K. Fink, Lindsay Warrenburg, Claire Howlin, Will Randall, Niels Chr. Hansen, Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann

Link to publication

This Research Topic provides a first and exhaustive hub for empirical studies relating to music and the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include the use of music to cope, changes in music-related behaviors, adaptive strategies of choirs and other music ensembles, digital forms of music making, also from the perspective of music pedagogues and therapists.

Editors: Niels Chr. Hansen, Jane W. Davidson, Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann

Link

Network name: MUSICOVID –An international research network on the role of music during the covid-19 pandemic

Hashtag: Please use #MUSICOVID whenever you talk about topics with relevance for music during the COVID-19 pandemic, including our network activities
Email address: musicovid@ae.mpg.de
Website: ae.mpg.de

Google Doc provided by Moin Syed, University of Minnesota, updated daily

Link

Submission deadlines: September 1, 2020 (abstracts), November 1, 2020 (manuscripts)
Editors: Niels Chr. Hansen, Jane Davidson, Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann
Note: publication fees waived for COVID-19 research.

Link

Provided by Frontiers, updated daily

Link

Please check here* if you are interested in finding ongoing studies for participation or collaboration. 
(*downloads an Excel file)

It seems that music is being widely and creatively used as a means to individually and socially cope with several of the challenges posed by the current crisis onto individuals, among them anxiety, boredom, loneliness, stress, and uncertainty about the future.
Therefore, a global network of researchers from all backgrounds has formed to join forces in order to document, investigate, and understand the multitude of ways in which music is used, experienced, and discussed during the COVID-19 pandemic. If we can explain how and under which circumstances musicking practices can provide an opportunity for individuals to cope with a threatening situation such as the present one, this knowledge might help societies to be better prepared should a similar situation occur in the future. More broadly, research outcomes from this work may have long-term implications for developing clinical and therapeutic interventions and best practices tackling loneliness and social isolation.

Aims of the Network

1. connect researchers who plan to study or have already started to study some musical aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic
2. create and coordinate a shared archive of videos, hashtags, and media coverage, based on Niels Chr. Hansen’s crowd-sourced database and other similar efforts
3. inspire interdisciplinary, collaborative, and global research on that topic and invite contributions to a workshop/conference and an edited volume or special issue

Relevant research topics/questions include:

• How did listening and music making behaviour change during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• How do people use music as a means to cope with the situation? 
• How do organizers of live music events (concert halls, festival managers etc.) respond to the situation?
• How do musicians respond creatively and practically to the situation?
• How can we simulate liveness in a time with no live music performances?
• Can participatory music making from a distance be used as a remedy for spatial distancing? 
• How could we establish a typology of corona songs (in terms of content, approach, mood, instrumentation, newly composed vs. cover songs)?
• Which pieces do people pick as repertoire for virtual choirs or ensembles or for balcony singing?
• How has music been used during previous crises, and what implications may this have for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?

We are convinced that such a multi-faceted topic can only be studied if all branches of music research join forces. As of now, the network consists of more than 300 ethnomusicologists, historical musicologists, music sociologists, musical data scientists, as well as music psychologists, music neuroscientists, and researchers studying music-related aspects of health and wellbeing.