The application of Networked Music Performance to access ensemble activity for socially isolated musicians

Networked Music Performance (NMP) allows musicians to play together over distances via the internet. For musicians who are socially isolated this is a valuable tool to allow musical connections despite barriers of geography or mobility. There are, however, challenges when using this technology, including how musicians cope with technical challenges (such as latency, and setting up and using NMP software), but also the challenges of communicating via potentially degraded audio and video links. By examining current research and a case study of the use of NMP at the University of the Highlands and Islands in a remote part of the UK, this paper argues that these challenges are not insurmountable. Meaningful musical relationships can be built and maintained using typical domestic equipment, and the network environment gives opportunities for musical creativity that would not be possible in a conventional rehearsal space.