Name
Telematic Music Making for Access and Inclusion
Date & Time
Thursday, March 14, 2024, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Track
Pandemic; Student Concerns; CUNY Community Builders
Session Type
Presentation
Description

The lead presenter runs the York College Jazz Band, which, during the COVID-19 pandemic, continued to rehearse and give performances for a year and a half, completely online, in real time, from 16 remote locations across New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut, using commercial grade internet connections and commercially available gear. Despite being apart, students were still able to learn, grow, and satisfy their ensemble requirements for graduation, through making music telematically. Through the processes of rehearsing, jamming, and performing with the band, the instructor realized that telematic performance and jamming had enormous potential to allow musicians to come together and make music in ways that were previously unimaginable. Musicians could perform together from home, using all the tools at their disposal. Telematic music-making increases access and inclusion for musicians, as they can more easily get together to make music.