MUSIC making has been associated with an increase in better mood and a sense of community during the first Covid-19 lockdown according to a new study.
Spontaneous group music making has been said to have had a wide range of benefits, even when the performers aren’t in the same room.
The new study is the first to investigate the effects of global music making during the pandemic.
The study looked at online improvisation sessions by an international group of musicians.
The study found that the sessions enhanced mood, lowered levels of loneliness and promoted a feeling of community during the first Covid-19 lockdown, the research found.
Researchers at Edinburgh College of Art examined the experiences of the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra.
The orchestra has a diverse group of players which includes musicians who have performed with the National Jazz Orchestra and The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
The Orchestra began improvisation sessions as a way of staying connected during lockdown. Musicians from other parts of the world were also invited to the Zoom sessions.
Researchers interviewed a sample of 29 musicians who took part in twice weekly music sessions from March 2020 to June 2020.
As well as boosting their mood and providing community, the musicians reported that the sessions gave them an opportunity for artistic development.
The findings also show that improvisation is well suited to digital music making as it facilitates creativity between musicians, the researchers say.
Professor Raymond MacDonald, Chair of Music Psychology and Improvisation, said: “There have been many reports of music being used as a potent form of communal activity during the pandemic.
“These included local communities chanting a song of support in Wuhan, Italians singing from their balconies in Sicily and a DJ playing dance music for the community from his balcony in Glasgow.
“These vivid examples of music providing social support are supported by a growing body of evidence highlighting how music can enhance health and wellbeing in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.”
Researchers say the results can help understand the benefits of online group music in providing emotional support – particularly for creative professionals who may have been adversely affected socially and economically by the pandemic.
This research was funded by Creative Scotland. It was carried out in partnership with the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra and the Universities of Monash in Australia, Exeter, Huddersfield, and Glasgow School of Art.
