Music education does not exist in a bubble. It is part of the broader music, arts, culture and education sectors, and it's influenced by its social, economic and political context. Each person and organisation involved in music education faces a variety of challenges, some of them unique, but many shared with others. It's impossible to talk about all of them, but there's a general feeling that things are getting worse, despite the best efforts of many. Several authors and researchers have studied and reflected about issues that I believe are relevant, from post-colonialism, racism and diversity to the value of culture, and we can't avoid talking about the impact of AI.
El Sistema: a critical view
The significant international attention generated by Venezuela's El Sistema is a result of both the acclaimed international tours of its flagship orchestra, the OSSB, and its commitment to using orchestral education to promote social inclusion. This widespread recognition has spurred the creation of numerous El Sistema-inspired initiatives in more than 60 countries; so the scarcity of studies that analyse in-depth the social, cultural, and educational impact it has had on Venezuelan society, beyond its own public narrative, is surprising. Geoffrey Baker conducted ethnographic research in Venezuela between 2010 and 2011, which is captured in his book El Sistema: orchestrating Venezuela's youth (2014). This is one of the first studies on the project based on conscientious fieldwork conducted through numerous interviews, visits, and observations, in addition to the review of publications by other authors. His conclusions remain relevant; however, founder José Antonio Abreu's influence was so dominant that it will be interesting to see how the project has been evolving since his death in 2018.
Baker does not deny that El Sistema has numerous positive aspects, but there are many issues that need to be considered. For instance, is it appropriate to promote the hierarchical structure of a symphony orchestra as a means of social integration, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and democracy? Baker also reflects on the fact that, by imposing European musical tradition over other music of indigenous or African origins, El Sistema reproduces the colonialist paternalism that has done so much harm to Latin American culture.
Racism and European cultural hierarchy
For everyone concerned about the impact of racism, post-colonialism, and European cultural hierarchy on music education, Nathan Holder's book If I Were A Racist: Exploring Racism in Music Teaching (2024) is a must-read. The book challenges the mainstream music education system in the West to ask often uncomfortable questions to move towards truly diverse and inclusive teaching. As Holder says: ‘With consistent efforts to understand the impacts of racism in our profession, we can create a better music education ecosystem for historically marginalised folks. Ultimately, doing this will benefit every single individual who arrives in the music classroom, eager to harness the power of music to express and connect with themselves, the people around them, and the world.’
Rethinking music as a public good
In the mid-1990s, the concept of ‘creative industries’ was promoted to foster their ability to generate economic wealth and create jobs. It led to a significant shift in cultural policies towards this new field, which, as an industry, was likely to grow, stimulated by the ‘market’ itself, and did not require public funding. However, the effects have not been as desired, and the music sector is in a dire state: many of its professionals struggle to survive, music education is increasingly neglected, and live music venues are in crisis. The global music industry is dominated by a few multinational corporations that control its distribution and access, from major record labels and digital platforms to social media moguls, who also design the algorithms that influence what, how, and when we listen to music. The macroeconomic data provided on the impact of the music industry also fails to reflect a reality that is very different if we ignore the multi-million-dollar international tours of a few artists or the large festivals. All of this is framed within a social environment where it seems that citizens' prosperity is measured more by economic growth and GDP figures than by their true physical and emotional wellbeing and the quality of the public services they receive.
Given this situation, a profound reflection is necessary, and this is what Justin O'Connor does in Culture is not an industry: Reclaiming art and culture for the common good (2024). His work reflects and expands on ideas contained in previous articles, including ‘Music as Industry’ (2021). The central point of his thinking is that music, the arts, and culture cannot be reduced to an industry, as they are at the heart of what it means to be human, they constitute an essential part of our democratic citizenship, and are a fundamental part of our human rights.
AI, music and education
Whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay. Its evolution is exponential, and its use is already impacting many human activities, so the debate goes far beyond purely technological issues.
One of the world's most prestigious centres in the field of music technology research is the Music Technology Group at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, directed by Xavier Serra. This group has led a project to analyse changes in the way music is created, distributed, and listened to. The article ‘How will AI coexist with human music?’ (Peiró, 2023) includes the initial results of the study.
The use of computers to compose music is nothing new, but, as the report points out, ‘the difference today is that soon, thanks to AI, it may be possible to create the next hit song without any prior musical knowledge or skill. So, will AI be an ally for musical creativity? Can machine-generated music have the same effect on listeners as music made by humans? How quickly will the industry embrace this innovation and how quickly will we embrace it? What ethical questions arise from this revolution?’
Sergi Jordà, researcher at the Music Technology Group, reflects on the use of AI in music: ‘Artificial intelligence can be a tool to promote and encourage creativity or – and this is its dark side – it can also be an attempt to supplant creativity. Obviously, the two aspects are completely opposite. But, just as we see its possibilities, I think we must also talk about the problems, the risks we will encounter.’ An AI system creates a piece of music from the data it has been fed – that is, from the music we have fed it. Jordà says: ‘If artificial intelligence learns from the vast amount of mainstream popular music, it will create more of the same style, and therefore, production will become increasingly homogeneous.’
In view of the current confrontation between musicians and the UK government about the rights of use of musical creations by AI companies, MTG's latest blog post ‘Another kind of Musical Artificial Intelligence is possible’ (Serra, Font, Rocamora, 2025) offers a way forward: ‘… the future of music with AI should not be defined solely by what is technically feasible or economically profitable – but by what is fair, sustainable, and musically meaningful.’
Music education cannot be alien to new AI-based technologies. Tools such as music analysis software; creation of personalised accompaniments; programmes to improve individual study of acoustic instruments or the voice; intelligent electronic instruments with greater expressive possibilities; composition systems that help expand creative possibilities; new collaborative learning and creation systems… Thanks to them, it is also possible to facilitate access to education and musical creation to a greater number of people.
The worst thing we can do is to ignore their existence or prohibit their use by students, as these are tools they will encounter in their daily, artistic, and professional lives. The best way to prevent them from becoming a potential danger is to embrace them, study them, and promote their use in ways that help us develop increasingly personalised and interactive educational systems that foster creativity and technical skills, both in the classroom and outside of it. We must find ways to enhance the work of music teachers, not replace them. Their role will obviously change, but they are essential for students to benefit from the advances that AI provides without being enslaved by it.
References
- Baker, G. (2014) El Sistema: orchestrating Venezuela’s youth. OUP.
- Holder, N. (2024) If I Were A Racist. Holders Hill Publishing.
- O’Connor, J. (2024) Culture Is Not an Industry. Manchester University Press.
- O’Connor, J. (2021) ‘Music as Industry’ blog.
- Peiró, K. (2023) ‘How will AI coexist with human music? The future is now’. Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).
- Jordà, S. (2023) ‘We will see radical changes, both in the way we create and consume music, due to AI’. UPF.
- Serra, X., Font, F., and Rocamora, M. (2025) ‘Another kind of Musical Artificial Intelligence is possible’. UPF.
