A Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 on Music Theorists

We administered an online survey to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the productivity and work/life balance of people who teach music theory and/or aural skills in higher education. The survey included quantitative and qualitative questions about research, 2020–2021 teaching, 2021–2022 teaching, service, and the relationship between work and personal life. According to the survey data, music theorists felt that their ability to work on research, the time they spent teaching, and satisfaction with work/life balance were, indeed, impacted by the pandemic. However, how people were disrupted by the pandemic varied from person to person, especially as demonstrated by the qualitative data. We conclude with several takeaways: (1) we should acknowledge the challenges we experienced living through a global pandemic; (2) we should recognize the pressure of time and overwork within our discipline; and (3) we could improve our disciplinary community through empathy and care.