Reflecting on Participation through Livestreaming Music Events in Times of Pandemic

In January 2020, the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic led to the interruption of a high number of aggregation-based human activities, such as in-presence live music concerts. One temporary alternative to the problem was the organization of livestreaming music events, which allow only a limited degree of interaction; such a solution fit the needs of those performances where there is little or no need at all for participation, but music practices with a participatory nature were at a disadvantage. Another issue pertains to the overall dimension of live experience: how is the “here and now” of a live music performance shaped in an online setting? Analysing two examples of livestreaming music events that took place in 2020 in Italy and England, this article aims to invite a reflection on how “participation” can come to be understood in online music practices.