EMAE 2023 Impact Study: Executive Summary

2023 Impact Study Executive Summary

EARLY MUSIC AS EDUCATION

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds “never get the chance to play music” and “may miss out on some of the most valuable experiences in life”.

The Social Mobility Commission (2019)

Executive summary

Exploring the impact of music on the psycho-social well-being and life skills development of Liverpool’s children, young people and their local communities.

Background

In 2019 the Social Mobility Commission published an important report that highlighted disparities in participation rates in extracurricular activities across the UK based on social background (Donnelly et al., 2019)

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds ‘never get the chance to play music’ and ‘may miss out on some of the most valuable experiences in life’. They have fewer extracurricular opportunities than others from more advantaged backgrounds and, as a result, may fail to gain confidence and build fundamental social skills.

Life skills (or so-called ‘soft skills’) are relevant to young people’s interpersonal lives but also make them more desirable to employers. Furthermore, young people who develop their confidence are more likely to aspire to go to university or enter other kinds of higher education.

In the UK high-quality formal music education is not always available to state schools and to people from all backgrounds. In 2011 the Department for Education released its first National Plan for Music Education, ‘The Importance of Music’, to ensure children could access the greatest repertoires (HM Government, 2011). In 2022 a new National Plan for Music Education, ‘The Power of Music to Change Lives’, was produced with the clear ambition to level up musical opportunities (HM Government, 2022).

However, there is no clear evidence of policy effectiveness on young people. The plans have also been criticised for their ‘potential to alienate many young people from formal music education and to be used as the means of sustaining social and educational inequalities’ (Spruce, 2013).

Why are life skills so essential?

Life skills

Life skills (WHO, 1999) or soft skills (Succi & Canovi, 2020) are essential abilities that enable human beings to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life.

The three main domains (Bussu et al., 2018) are:

1. cognitive skills (e.g., decision-making, problemsolving, critical and creative thinking, learning to learn);

2. emotional skills (e.g., empathy, emotion and stress management);

3. social-relational skills (e.g., effective communication, interpersonal abilities, cooperation, conflict resolution, accepting difference, concern for others, self-awareness).

Life skills & Music

Music represents an important protective factor for young people’s health and well-being; research provides evidence of its effectiveness on physical and psychological dimensions as well as social and mental well-being (RosMorente et al., 2019). Music supports the development of cognitive and emotional intelligence, and the positive mental health of children and young people; it enhances creativity, memory and general academic skills (Rickard et al., 2013).

Music groups facilitate young people’s social inclusion and group identity through their shared sense of unity and togetherness (Krueger Bridge, 2022). Long-term musical group interaction has a positive impact on empathy in children and young people (Rabinowitch et al., 2012). Being actively involved in cultural and musical activities increases self-confidence, self-esteem, relationship-building, communication and other social skills (Rabinowitch et al., 2012; Ros-Morente et al., 2019).

“Being actively involved in cultural and musical activities increases self-confidence, self-esteem, relationshipbuilding, communication, and social skills.”

Music and its impact on the local community

In our global multimedia era, social isolation is an increasingly common experience for people of all ages – especially young people (Krivo et al., 2013). This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in fewer opportunities for cultural engagement amongst children and young people. The ‘lack of musical opportunities for children and young people could not only hinder their abilities to cope with and recover from this pandemic, but also could cause longterm consequences for education, social and cultural opportunities, and mental wellbeing’ (Krueger Bridge, 2022, 9)

Activities and practices for promoting community building and fostering participation are becoming increasingly more necessary. Practising music in groups and planning musical events for the local community can result in some of the many benefits that community membership promotes. According to Steele (2016), music is an active social phenomenon that can be used to help create flourishing communities in which the diversity of individual differences is

celebrated and support is shared. This potential of music has long been evident in the everyday use of music.

Music increases connectedness amongst people and is used as a powerful resource in support of healthy communities (Steele, 2016). Musical activity can enhance an individual’s sense of social inclusion and social cohesion. Moreover, learning music can contribute to preventing social discrimination and promoting social inclusion.

“Musical activity can enhance an individual’s sense of social inclusion and social cohesion.”

EMAE’s mission

Early Music as Education (EMAE) is a registered charity based in Liverpool that promotes the cultural, social and economic value of Early Music through regular educational, recreational and scholarly activities.

EMAE believes that Early Music has the potential to transform individual lives through the acquisition of specialised knowledge and skills, and the development of cultural, social and economic relations.

EMAE’s mission is to:

1. Educate music students

2. Train professional musicians

3. Reach out to new audiences

4. Promote musical research

In the long term, EMAE aims to fill the increasingly wider gap in the public funding of music education. Many children do not currently have access to musical training of any kind. This is especially evident at the lowest socio-economic levels and it is a fact that school students from those groups may never have the opportunity to know whether they have musical aptitude at all.

Since 2017 EMAE has engaged with hundreds of children, young people and their families across the Liverpool City Region and, more recently, Greater London.

EMAE’s vision

EMAE brings social, cultural and educational opportunities to young musicians on Merseyside and Greater London across the socio-economic spectrum via a highly disciplined training in Early Music, with a view to enhancing their musical and personal development, and creating a musical culture of which their communities can be proud.

The three pillars of EMAE’s vision are:

1. Opportunity

EMAE works with young people from a wide variety of social and educational backgrounds. By challenging perceived cultural barriers, it fosters participation and confidence. It also provides the opportunity for recognition for those young people who do not thrive in the traditional routes, i.e. through sporting or mainstream cultural success.

2. Excellence

EMAE focuses on smaller groups of young people and unashamedly drives them to a very high standard of musical performance comparable to that of the best schools and youth ensembles in the world. Unlike other similar organisations, however, EMAE provides its students with tutorials, classes, seminars, music scores, copies of historical instruments and a whole range of learning experiences at no cost.

3. Cohesion

EMAE delivers wider personal development and growth alongside increased musical skills. As social opportunity often comes from work and recreation together, EMAE gathers young people from different backgrounds in weekly tutorials and classes, regular seminars, away-days and international residencies.

EMAE’s activities

Through its various Academy programmes, EMAE offers to select string players aged 8 to 18 specialist education in Early Music under the guidance of expert theoreticians and practitioners. The more advanced students are also members of EMAE’s flagship ensemble, the Early Music Youth Orchestra (EMYO). With an emphasis on high-level performance comparable to that of the best youth orchestras

in the world, EMYO performs both nationally and internationally. In addition, the Academy offers an original and comprehensive musicianship programme to several primary schools across the Liverpool City Region, involving hundreds of children from underprivileged areas. All EMAE students participate regularly in events, seminars, away-days and international residencies.

To become Early Music specialists in their own right, the students have to apply themselves over a prolonged period to develop new techniques of bowing and fingering as well as a distinct musical sensibility more suited to the specific repertoires that are the object of their studies. In addition, they have to enhance their social skills in a ‘currency’ that is internationally recognised so that they may be confident to work

within a mixed age group in an environment where effective co-operation is vital to a successful public performance. This is especially necessary as all ensembles perform without a conductor and the particular skills used in Early Music require non-verbal communication skills beyond those used in other types of music.

Whilst the musical talents the students may develop should remain with them for the rest of their lives, the resulting personal growth, experiences and self-confidence will open up significant career and life opportunities both in and beyond music.

Research study

Purpose

The overall aim of the research was to explore the impact of EMAE’s pedagogical model and learning and teaching activities on the psychosocial wellbeing and life-skills development of Liverpool’s children, young people and their local communities.

The project focused on three crucial themes:

1. Evaluation of the effectiveness of EMAE’s pedagogical model and learning and teaching activities on children’s and young people’s self-development and satisfaction.

2. Exploration of the benefits of music education for children and young people within the lifespan perspective.

3. Exploration of the benefits of EMAE’s music-education programmes and activities for the local communities.

Design

The research team conducted qualitative research to collect perceptions and opinions on the formative activities delivered by EMAE (tutorials, classes, seminars, away-days, week-long residencies and a whole range of varied learning and teaching experiences).

Qualitative data collection included semi-structured online interviews, an in-person focus group and three ludic ‘circle time’ activities for children. The research participation was voluntary and anonymous. A convenience sampling technique was adopted.

The research adhered to the ethical guidelines of the British Psychological Society and obtained ethical clearance from the Ethics Committee at Edge Hill University. Participant anonymity was maintained at all stages of the project. The researchers explained the project aims to potential participants and provided them with information sheets. Participants were reminded of their anonymity when signing the consent form and again before the interviews and focus group took place.

Data analysis

A thematic analysis was conducted to explore the participants’ opinions regarding their perceptions and to elicit suggestions to support participants more effectively. Thematic analysis is based on an approach to describe, understand or interpret participants’ experiences and facilitate reflection on emerging conceptual issues (Clarke & Braun, 2013).

A rigorous methodological process was adopted for coding and analysis while avoiding the loss of valuable information. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim with written permission from the participants.

Data gathered from the respondents’ narratives were analysed using NVivo. A triangulation technique was implemented to validate the data through crossverification from different sources (interviews, focus group and children’s group activities).

We contacted 74 participants via email to be interviewed:

• 29 parents of children and young people

• 24 children and young people

• 8 primary-school teachers

• 8 tutors

• 5 trustees

Furthermore, 36 out of 60 children involved with EMAE in a specific primary school participated in the research activities, upon their parents signing the consent form.

The final sample comprised 36 interviews (including a focus group) and 36 children involved in interactive group activities, for a total of 72 participants:

• 36 primary-school children

• 15 children and young people

• 9 parents of children and young people

• 6 tutors

• 5 trustees

• 1 primary-school teacher

Key f i nd i ngs

The research highlighted extraordinar y results

model, its activities and its impact on children, young people and their local communities

Three main themes emerged from our qualitative analysis:

A T he ef fec t i vene s s of E M A E’s peda gog ica l model a nd prac t ice s

B T he i mpac t on ch i ld ren & you ng people

C Com mu n it y enga gement a nd i mpac t

model, activities & practices

Communit y engagement & impact

Key findings

Impact on children & young people

The three dimensions are mutually related EM AE’s pedagogical model, as implemented by the tutors through several practices, has a deep impact on young people’s learning development and makes them feel welcome into the Charity ’ s ‘community ’ In turn, the impact on their local communities (families, friends, neighbours, etc ) Finally, community engagement programmes (see Figure 1)

Figure 1

Key finding A

The effectiveness of EMAE’s pedagogical model and practices

EMAE has elaborated a unique pedagogical model and set of practices to develop children’s and young people’s psychosocial well-being and life skills. The students are from a wide variety of social, economic and educational backgrounds. The model adopts a holistic approach focused on children with different learning and socioemotional needs.

The focus of EMAE activities is on both the individual student and, more importantly perhaps, on the group: their personal and technical development are given equal attention. Each learning and teaching activity is carefully designed to develop the musical skills of children and young people but, above all, their person and human potential.

Learning development can also be pursued because the tutors consider and include every young musician in the same way. By involving the musicians in group training, tutors also intend to prevent discrimination and favouritism. EMAE offers equal opportunities to children and community members from different socio-cultural backgrounds and with different learning needs.

Key finding B

The

impact on children & young people

Young people recognise the extraordinary impact of this experience on their lives and personal development. Young musicians feel more confident about their personal abilities and interpersonal skills. They believe they have significantly developed musical and life skills: cognitive, emotional and socio-relational (see Extracts 1 and 2).

Participants give enthusiastic accounts about the impact on children and young people. Children, young people and their parents acknowledge and reflect on their improved self-confidence and selfefficacy. Children and young people feel proud and self-satisfied about their performance and how their musical skills improved rapidly (see Figure 2).

Playing together is a fantastic moment to learn from each other and develop friendships, both for children and young people. Furthermore, children and young people feel that playing together helps them express positive emotions and manage negative emotions. Playing music together provides an excellent channel to express oneself through creativity.

Being part of the EMAE community contributes to psychosocial well-being and has a positive impact on young musicians and community members (families and schools). EMAE recruits and trains excellent tutors who enhance the skills of children and young people from different socio-economic backgrounds and with diverse learning and emotional needs. Furthermore, the tutors are able to recognise and foster talented children and young people (see Extract 2).

Drawing by a primary-school student

Figure 2

Extract 1

Community member: parent, female

“When they go away with EMAE, they’re taught life skills. They’re taught how to wash their own dishes, make sure the rooms are tidy, their own personal hygiene, for example, and pack their own lunches. You know they’re given independence, taught independence.”

Extract 2

Young person, female

“I’m learning all the time and I think it’s really helped with my communication, and my style of playing has improved a lot with all the technique sessions and… I think it’s also broadened me as a person, so I’ve gained all that like I was saying [for] the communication skills and hard working with others, the team work.”

Key finding C

Community engagement and impact

Community involvement and impact are two key examples of EMAE’s best practice that emerged from the research. EMAE has a positive impact on the local communities of children and young people.

EMAE young musicians have inspired other children and community members to play music and develop a passion for music (see Extract 3).

All participants who took part in the research talked extensively about the opportunities for community building and the development of friendships and social skills provided by the Charity through weekly practice and summer residencies.

Participants feel part of a ‘community’ – a musical family. ‘Community building’ is a prominent topic of discussion and a recurring theme in participants’ narrations.

Young people and their families are actively involved with events, concert organisation and promotion. Community members consider EMAE and all active members a friendly and inspiring community.

The local primary school involved in the study values the collaboration with EMAE and the learning and teaching activities offered to the children, whose benefits the classroom teachers have observed (see Extract 4).

Key terms from interviews and focus group

Figure 3

Extract 3

Parent, female

“So when the children said ‘wow’, I mean, I’ve seen one little boy. And he was stunned to see these children making noises there, like ‘oh this is very nice’ but he was like ‘wow this was amazing!’.”

Extract 4

Teacher, male

‘‘I think for now they’ve really started to understand and reflect on what

makes up a song and kind of like the differences and how those differences can affect mood … I think a lot of them. … When they run around, you can see how excited they are and when they play a slow, slow song, they’re walking a lot slower. When we ask them how they feel, they’re much better at being able to kind of verbalize that, I think.”

Case study

Joseph, 17 years old, violinist

Joseph first started learning piano when he was 7 years old. Joseph picked up a violin around two years later and has been playing the violin for about 8 years now. He joined EMAE in March 2017. He has faced several challenges related to his learning needs but, despite these, he has achieved outstanding results in life. The EMAE tutors have supported him and other young musicians actively to help everyone feel included (see Extract 5).

Within EMAE, he takes part in the Academy and Orchestra activities. In fact, EMYO was the first orchestra he joined. In 2019 he joined another youth orchestra, too.

Joseph is also involved in EMAE’s music-education programme in the primary school, where he supports the tutors in essential musicianship

and string technique activities. Joseph finds the sessions fulfilling as they have helped him develop resilience and communication skills (see Extract 6).

He has had a fantastic experience with EMAE and talks about the positive impact of the EMAE programmes on his orchestral playing (see Extract 7).

Joseph’s family also supports his involvement with EMAE and shares his satisfaction and gratitude to the Charity. In particular, his mother reflects on how the tutors understand different children’s needs and always encourage them (see Extract 8).

Joseph’s journey is an excellent example of the outstanding benefits of an active engagement with music for children’s and young people’s throughout their lifespan.

Extract 5

Joseph

“They always talked to everyone. They never let anyone out. I wouldn’t say every tutor made the effort that they do to include everyone and make sure that everyone was happy. So I think that’s something that the tutors really get in. This motive of the Charity is to really nurture the individual.”

Extract 6

Joseph

“I suppose the biggest benefit is when they do get it and they do enjoy it and there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing a child learn, enjoy music, have fun. That they’re the main benefits of going into the primary school and - it’s a highlight of my week. I really do enjoy it as alone time and a bit of quiet time.”

Extract 7

Joseph

“It’s just building all of your character traits music a way that not many other, erm, in walks of life can. It rebuilds your resilience, your strength, your motivation, in particular your motivation … EMAE’s really helped me to learn what is the protocol in orchestra and how we should behave. Now it’s much easier thanks to EMAE as I’ve joined the other orchestras.”

Extract 8

Joseph’s mother

“They have more understanding of Joseph than, say, his school does, and socially they understand different children’s needs. But they also understand how to strengthen them and make them more social and they just seem to understand how to get people involved and how to encourage in my opinion. But they also understand when he just needs a bit of alone time and a bit of quiet time.”

Best prac t ice

T he re sea rch ha s broug ht out severa l e xa mple s of be st prac t ice. (see Figure 4)

EM AE ’ s pedagogical model with its related emphasis on ensemble music training are fundamental aspects of best practice that involve instruction in a group setting and a more social and interactive approach where students can learn from and collaborate with each other A lthough some students explicitly value autonomy and independence, they also see the potential and positive implications of playing with others Specifically, playing with others seems to help with feeling ner vous and assist bonding with others (self-regulation) Group-based practice impacts positively on the students’ social and lifeskill development, and contributes to generating friendship and a sense of communit y, thus suppor ting one of EM AE’s primar y goals

A nother relevant aspect of best practice are the peer-mentoring activities amongst par ticipants, which allow young musicians to improve their musical skills, develop their musicianship and learn how to mentor and consolidate relationships The mentees appreciate peer-mentoring facilitation through a variet y of activities that the peer mentors plan for them in order to include them in a student communit y (see Ex tract 9).

Community building is another key example of best practice which emerged from the qualitative data. All the individuals who par ticipated in the research talked extensively about the oppor tunities for community building and the development of friendship and social skills provided by the Charity through musical practice and summer residentials Parents and families are actively involved to var ying extents in hands-on activities aimed at promoting and suppor ting EM AE’s initiatives. They feel par t of a community – a ‘musical

the music learning and teaching (see Extract 10)

The EM AE musicians talk extensively about their summer residencies in Italy, Spain, Scotland and France These initiatives represent an oppor tunity for the students to practise intensively, spend time away from their family, sometimes for the first time, and be involved in culturally and socially relevant experiences

Pedagogical model and learning practices

Figure 4 Best practice

Extract 9

Young person, male

“I was involved in one and me and my friend we have had some peer mentoring sessions so it was really interesting to learn what it was like to be a mentor and they really helped us children understand. So, it’s from some of the things that we learned from the tutors to send the message across to them.”

Extract 10

Parent, female

“On a human level, they are brilliant, they’re brilliant musicians and they can communicate that passion for music to the kids and that is amazing. But you know also on a personal level, I think the group is so varied, they have people from so different backgrounds, and they all come together and that is something that is very valuable to learn as a young adult. You know, the fact that so many different people are getting along and producing something good.”

Moving forward

Challenges

• Some young musicians find personal challenges in the learning process, including things such as learning to play in a group vs alone, learning to play an instrument, providing peer mentoring and keeping motivated.

• There are challenges with the tutoring and training process, recruiting tutors and maintaining a high levels of professionalism within the Charity.

• Other challenges include keeping music accessible, reaching out to the wider society and the local communities, bringing music education to schools.

New Ideas and Perspectives

• Extending EMAE’s learning and teaching activities to more primary schools.

• Implementing new and concrete actions to keep music education accessible: for example, EMAE could help schools deal with ‘food poverty’ in the local area by implementing a programme aimed at supplementing the current food provision in schools.

• Planning more concerts and performances (especially from an audience point of view).

• Making a documentary aimed at spreading the word about the EMAE model and its activities.

• Monitoring the efficacy of the activities periodically and also inviting external ‘auditors’ to evaluate the activities.

Improvements

• The young musicians suggest that attending more concerts and listening to world-class musicians would be beneficial and would inspire their creativity. They also appreciate the chamber music sessions; some of them suggest that they could be reintroduced.

• The primary-school staff recommend organising the musical activities in smaller groups to make them more accessible to children who may get overstimulated or may not like big group activities. They also suggest to set up a word wall using the space already made available by school managers, turning the activities into a musical quiz with rewards and the opportunity for the pupils to have ownership over their learning.

• Some participants suggest that future efforts could focus on advertising EMAE’s activities and increasing awareness about the project using social media for outreach.

Final Recommendations

• Develop new local and national partnerships in terms of future development and sustainability.

• Keep working to develop new strategies for community engagement. Engaging community members is important in achieving suitable outcomes.

• Foster professional development and peer mentoring amongst tutors.

• Keep working to promote programmes and events locally. Presenting publicly the excellent results obtained by EMAE.

• Implement mixed methods research to evaluate the impact of the EMAE programmes.

In conclusion

“EMAE has developed a unique pedagogical model alongside evidence-based practices and activities that impact positively and effectively on the personal, socio-emotional and educational development of children, young people and their local communities.”

Dr Anna Bussu Edge Hill University

Click or scan to download the full Report:

“Exploring the impact of Music on the psychosocial well-being and life skills development of Liverpool’s children, young people and their local communities.”

Research Team

Dr Anna Bussu (Principal Investigator) is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Principal Lecturer in Psychosocial Analysis of Offending Behaviour at Edge Hill University. Her current research explores risks and protective factors (e.g. life skills, resilience, etc.) to prevent young people’s offending behaviour and social exclusion, and promote personal and collective well-being. She has extensive experience in conducting qualitative research.

Dr Marta Mangiarulo is a Research Assistant at Edge Hill University and Research Assistant and Teaching Fellow at the University of Leicester. Her research interests include reasoning biases, stereotypes and virtual learning environments, alongside a strong commitment to science communication, research dissemination and outreach. She has conducted several studies, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

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Photography credits: Sol Photography; Fenita Photography; Eleonora Pintus.

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