Voices from Southwark: Reflections on a collaborative music teaching project in London in the age of COVID-19

Abstract

Situated in the context of current examinations of inequality and underrepresentation in music education in the United Kingdom, this article offers perspectives on a community music school and outreach initiative based in Southwark, London, where King’s College London music students, mentored by an experienced local teacher, facilitate small group music-making for primary school children who would not otherwise have opportunities for collaborative performance. Due to COVID-19, the project shifted to fully online delivery, and later to a hybrid model, combining virtual and in-person interaction. Based on ethnographic research amongst pupils, parents, teaching assistants and coordinators, we invoke the collaborative ethos of the project and explore its social and affective impact on participants at a time of great challenge and change.