Faculty
Cornelia Fermüller, Inina Murisanu (ARHU)Funding Agency
University of MarylandYear
2023Descriptions
ISR-affiliated Cornelia Fermüller (UMIACS) and Irina Murisanu of ARHU see the opportunity to reach the underrepresented student population with music education while developing new technology for teaching and learning. They are developing an AI platform, VAIolin, that will democratize music education and the mechanism of learning an instrument. The AI will assist in the process of mastering principles and skills, facilitating self-analysis, and enhancing independent learning.
Scientific studies in modern times have repeatedly proven that playing an instrument impacts brain development, academic achievement, and mental health. Learning to play a musical instrument, however, constitutes a lengthy and complex process. Private music instruction is costly, therefore afforded only by a privileged part of the world population. Many students from low-income, rural, black, and brown communities do not have access to music education. The pandemic provided an unexpected opportunity to shift this paradigm, as technology allowed instructors to provide remote music lessons outside the usual circle of students. This context demonstrated the clear need and tremendous opportunity to reach the underrepresented student population with music education while developing new technology for teaching and learning. Building on our team’s existing research and data collection started in March 2020, and the insights we have gained in virtual education during the pandemic, we propose to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, VAIolin that will democratize music education. Our project demonstrates a decisive stance against the inequality inherent in traditional music instruction and aims to build an innovative method to share music with our communities, including those who are so often left out and behind. This platform will integrate technology into the mechanism of learning an instrument and use AI to assist in the process of mastering principles and skills, facilitating self-analysis, and enhancing independent learning. Our work will impact music students (including those who are self-taught), as well as teachers and parents supervising young musicians worldwide.
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