2025-2028 Lansdowne Scholar in Decolonizing Music Education
Dr. Anita Prest has been appointed as the Lansdowne Scholar in Decolonizing Music Education for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2025. This prestigious appointment—approved by the Provost on the recommendation of the Faculty Research Committee—recognizes Dr. Prest’s exceptional scholarly contributions and her deep commitment to community-engaged research.
As Lansdowne Scholar, Dr. Prest will continue to advance this important work through a series of research projects and knowledge mobilization initiatives—outlined below. She will also play a vital role in enhancing our Faculty’s research culture through workshops, collaborations, and community outreach.
This webpage will be updated over the three-year term to share new information as this work progresses.
Project 1: Kwagiulth Family Cultural Experience
Full project title: Learning in Community: Envisioning bridges of collaboration between Indigenous culture bearers and music teacher candidates
Purpose: To examine students’ perceptions of the effects of a four-hour, immersive, Kwagiulth family cultural experience held at First Peoples House as part of their music education courses on their level of commitment to embed Indigenous content and engage with First Peoples Principles of Learning in their future classes.
- Location: Victoria, BC
- Timeline: 2024–2028
- Supported by: Lansdowne Scholar research funding
- Researchers: Anita Prest (PI), Hector Vazquez-Cordoba
- Research Assistants: 1

Anita's role within this study is to coordinate four separate Kwagiulth family cultural experiences with students over several semesters, code and analyse the participants’ self-reflections, and co-present/co-publish findings.
Project 2: Singing Maps
Full project title: Developing online music communities to support Sámi adolescent cultural resilience.
Purpose: to investigate traditional music learning practices and evaluate advanced state-of-the-art networked learning tools to support the broader participation of adolescents in Sámi musical culture through music education.
- Location: International (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Finland)
- Timeline: 2025–2029
- Supported by: Norwegian Research Council
- Researchers: David Thorannin Johnson (PI), plus co-researchers David Hebert, Annukka Hirvasvuopio, Ylva Hofvander Trulsson, Anna-Kaisa Liedes, Anita Prest, Te Oti Rakena, Clare Hall, and advisors Sondre Pettersen, Johan Sara, Jr., Koji Matsunobu, and Stefan Östersjö.
- Research Assistants: 1
Anita's role within this study is to:
- Participate in an international forum (four online seminars) to compile and refine knowledge of: Indigenous rights, ownership, and copyright from a legal and policy perspective; decolonization theory; and ethnic and national identity as they pertain to music education
- Provide guidance as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board
- Co-conduct a comparative systematic literature review focusing on Indigenous music education research initiatives from the past 20 years in the four international contexts
Project 3: Dialogues across Australia, Canada, and Mexico
Full project title: Dialogues across Yugambeh/Gadigal/Dharug Countries (Australia), Coast Salish/Kwakwaka'wakw Territories (Canada), and the Huasteca region (Mexico)
Purpose: A colloquium with Indigenous Knowledge Holders from Australia, Canada, and Mexico to dialogue around:
- Sustainability practices rooted in local Indigenous perspectives and their connection to the Land;
- Indigenous youth leadership;
- Indigenous languages revitalization;
- Indigenous perspectives across K-12 and postsecondary education;
- Indigenous methodologies in research; and
- Music making in connection with the Land and worldview.
- Location: Mexico City, Huateca region, Veracruz, Mexico
- Timeline: 2025–2026
- Supported by: SSHRC Connection Grant
- Researchers: Hector Vazquez Cordoba (PI), Anita Prest (Co-applicant), Candace Kruger (Collaborator), Thomas Fienberg (Collaborator)
- Research Assistants: 1

Project 4: Reparations in Canadian Higher Education
Full project title: Facing Colonial Complicity and Mobilizing Reparations in Canadian Higher Education
Purpose: to trace the specific ways that universities have contributed to settler colonialism, and to identify potential means through which universities can enact substantive forms of both material and relational repair with the Indigenous communities who have been harmed by their actions.
- Location: British Columbia
- Timeline: 2025–2028
- Supported by: SSHRC Insight Grant
- Researchers: Patricia Logan (PI), plus co-applicants Vanessa Andreotti, Cash Ahenakew, Sharon Stein, Will Valley, Lisa Taylor, and Anita Prest, and collaborators Pia Russell, Jane Morrison, Jasdeep Randhawa
- Research Assistants: 2
Project 5: Framework for teaching Náhuatl via music making
Full project title: Timomachtiah tochinanko (Learning in Community): Connecting Land, Náhuatl, and Music-Making
Purpose: To create a framework for how to teach Náhuatl via music making in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. This study will also explore how learning Náhuatl via music-making may impact the well-being (physical, emotional, and spiritual) of children and youth, families, and the community at large.
- Location: British Columbia
- Timeline: 2025–2028
- Supported by: SSHRC Insight Development Grant
- Researchers: Hector Vazquez Cordoba (PI), plus co-applicant Anita Prest and collaborator Victoriano De la Cruz
- Research Assistants: 2
Learn more
- See Dr. Anita Prest's faculty profile
- Learn more about research in the Faculty of Education
- Learn more about research at UVic
If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact the researcher via email.