Exploring the assessment experiences of eight South African practical music assessors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Traditionally, the assessment of classical music performances was conducted in a "live" setting where a practical music assessor is present in the same venue as the music performer. As of March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social and physical distancing measures were put in place that influenced and transformed the assessment approaches and strategies of classical music performances. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the assessment experiences of eight South African practical music assessors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional aims were to identify and understand the similarities and differences between in-person and online practical music assessment environments, to describe how the assessment approaches of classical music performances differed or had to be adapted within the in-person and online practical music assessment environment, and to assess the sustainability of online practical music assessments in South Africa. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, while the concepts, insights and detailed understanding were derived from common patterns or themes in the data, which were presented in a rich, descriptive analysis (Merriam, 2002:6). Six main themes emerged: The practical music assessor's influence on the music assessment process; Attributes of online and in-person practical music performances; Changes in the practical music assessor's listening behaviour; The significance of human interaction in practical music assessments; Benefits of online practical music assessments and platforms; Challenges of online practical music assessments and platforms. The study's findings revealed that the practical music assessor wields a significant influence on the assessment process and the effectiveness of that process. It was revealed that the online environment is not conducive to expressive music performances and that it influenced the practical music assessor's listening behaviour and listening experience. A benefit of online practical music assessments was the expanded accessibility and convenience that it afforded students with limited access to in-person practical music assessments. Amongst the challenges of online practical music assessments, the importance of sound ranked as the most significant.