The age of digitalisation has radically revolutionised the state of the music industry, giving rise to emancipated access to music and greater opportunities for musicians. However, the widespread dissemination and overabundance of music have raised critical questions regarding its value.

There exists conflict in the way music is valued economically in the digital age, with some sectors generating substantial profit while others remain unsustainable through earned income alone. While appeals to intrinsic, social, or cultural value is made to justify the latter, there exists conflicting perspectives on the relevance of these practices, particularly if financial viability is sustained through public funding. Furthermore, there is also conflict with what to do with musical tradition in the digital age, particularly those with longstanding histories such as Western classical music, be it to preserve tradition against the changes in time, or to remain relevant through innovating practices.

While conflict is not an unfamiliar concept to the domain of music, and is necessary for its progression, it is timely to renegotiate the frameworks within which we engage with music. This is crucial, particularly within institutions of influence that can play a significant role in advocating for and even arbitrating the value of music, such as that of higher music education.

The presentation will reflect on these conflicting perspectives and propose the art of listening as way forward in a manner that is robust. Through listening to the voices, narratives, and emotions of collaborators within the musical ecosystem, we can critically examine of the positions that we hold, paving the way for higher music education to be a space for reconciling conflicting values of music, thus emancipating access to the benefit of music to wider society.

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