The Effects of Music in Community and Educational Settings

Abstract

This chapter considers research on the effects attributed to music in online and offline community and educational settings. It focuses on the processes and outcomes of research assessing the wider impact of intentional or receptive engagement with music. It reviews research findings related to the impact of listening to and actively engaging with music on individual moods, emotions, and well-being across the lifespan, and considers research with children and young people focused on the impact of making music on cognition, including aural processing, phonological awareness, literacy, spatial reasoning, mathematics, intellectual development, and attainment. The effects on seniors experiencing dementia are outlined, with particular emphasis on memory and executive functions. The way that online music making has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic is assessed and its impact reviewed. Commonalities and differences between the two sectors are considered, taking account of the different approaches to research, their strengths and weaknesses, and suggestions for future research. The chapter ends with overarching conclusions and suggestions for future research.