Modern recording technology is a powerful tool to support musicianship, says Allesandro Rotondi.

His paper on the topic took first place in a national essay competition held by the Canadian Music Educators’ Association, and will be published in its journal in June.

“If you are a creative, imaginative thinker, there is technology out there to support your ideas,” says Rotondi, a 2020 graduate of the UWindsor music program now in his first year of B.Ed studies. “Something as simple as a smartphone can be a tool in jotting down lyrics or recording a quick melodic idea. Recording software now comes pre-installed in many computers and laptops, and there is an awaiting world of knowledge at our fingertips.”

He originally wrote the paper, entitled “Modern Recording Technology and the Music Student: How Formal and Informal Recording Facilitates Music Learning,” as a class assignment for Critical Issues in Music Education.

Rotondi’s professor, Danielle Sirek, encouraged him to submit it to the association’s Kenneth Bray Undergraduate Essay Competition. In addition to publication, his award carries a cash prize of $250.

“The Kenneth Bray National Undergraduate Essay Competition is the most prestigious music education essay competition in the country. Submissions are made by top students from Canadian universities, and the winner is chosen through blind review by a panel of music education faculty members across Canada,” says Dr. Sirek.

“Although it was written before the pandemic, Allesandro’s research on formal and informal recording to facilitate music learning is more important now than ever. Since live music-making is currently not permitted in most Canadian classrooms due to COVID-19, music teachers are looking to recording technology to foster music learning experiences that are both meaningful and motivating.”

Rotondi, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, has been employing tech for years to promote his own musical projects. Find more information on his personal channels.