The intimate relationship between technology and music and its revolutionary impact on music education

From the invention of Gray's Musical Telegraph in 1874 to the immersive and interactive augmented, virtual and mixed reality platforms of the 2000s, technology and music have always been intimately related. It is timely to discuss the revolutionary impact that technological change and innovation continues to have on music teaching and learning at a time when music education, schooling and learning are being redefined. Remote learning capabilities have escalated through necessity, providing opportunities for educators, classrooms and schools to be accessed offsite, in synchronous and asynchronous settings, removing the boundaries of time and space. The demands of society have dictated a valuing of generic skills sets and knowledge such as creative and critical thinking, concept-based curriculum and innovative models of teaching and learning. At the centre of this revolution is technology. Government and educational authorities have come to view technology as a catalyst of change and a driver of pedagogical development and learning enhancement. However, the question of what we teach, how and why conjures further exploration about whether technological innovation drives pedagogy, societal expectations and valued knowledge or whether it is in fact the other way around.

Long before the advent of digital technology, music has been at the forefront of technological advancement, with music educators harnessing its potential. Despite this, there continues to be disparity between the resources available to music teachers compared to other disciplines, including a misunderstanding of the teaching and learning potential of music. This chapter provides a brief historical context, highlighting revolutionary timepoints that align with specific technological advancements that have impacted on music and in turn education. A pivotal timepoint will focus on the advent of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) in 1983 and the resulting key developments. This discussion positions music as an important inclusion of a holistic education and contemporary society.