“Trying to sound like I belong” : a phenomenological examination of music recording and production artists’ experiences in school music classes
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Heather B. Graham (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Tami Draves
Abstract: There is a misalignment between music practices that are common in K-12 schools and universities and the popular music practices, such as music recording and production, that students are increasingly involved in outside of the classroom. Because of this misalignment, there is a need to listen to and learn from people who have experienced being involved in school music programs that did not affirm or align with their musical interests outside of school. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology was to explore the lived experiences of students who were simultaneously involved in both music recording and production activities and K-12 or collegiate music classes. To explore the lived experiences of students who were simultaneously involved in both music recording and production activities and K-12 or collegiate music classes, the following research questions were addressed: (a) How did students describe music recording and production experiences? (b) How did students describe K-12 or collegiate music experiences? (c) How did students describe the experience of alternating between the two music settings (music recording and production and K-12 or collegiate) with regard to space, time, relationships, and bodily presence? (d) How, if at all, did being involved in music recording and production activities impact students’ experiences in K-12 and collegiate music classes? (e) How, if at all, did being involved in both music recording and production activities and K-12 and collegiate music classes impact students’ attitudes towards school music activities? Several themes emerged under three categories: (1) differences between settings, (2) intersections between settings, and (3) social and music skills that helped participants navigate each setting. The discussion surrounding the “differences” section include the following themes: (a) genres and styles, (b) aesthetic value systems, (c) pedagogical practices, (d) creative and performance opportunities, (e) rigor and validity, (f) autocratic and democratic shifts, (g) accessibility, and (h) separation as intentional or necessary. The theme under “intersections” concerns the transfers participants made between settings. The themes under “social and musical skills” explains how participants used (a) codeswitching and (b) acts of resistance to navigate both settings, influence peers’ and teachers’ reactions, and achieve success in each setting. The essence of participants’ experiences included their use of codeswitching as a strategy to navigate and function within each diverse setting. This meant that participants maintained multiple music identities as certain social and musical skills allowed them to successfully alternate between settings, achieve success, and receive peer- and teacher-acceptance. Suggestions for music educators include greater inclusion of popular music genres and practices within the school music curriculum, aural rather than sight- and score-based learning, more creative opportunities for students to produce original works, culturally responsive mindsets that support students’ interests, backgrounds, and personal identities, and an openness to change in our curriculums and programs.
“Trying to sound like I belong” : a phenomenological examination of music recording and production artists’ experiences in school music classes
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Created on 5/1/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
- Keywords
- Music education, Music recording and production, Popular music
- Subjects
- School music $x instruction and study
- Music students
- Music $x instruction and study $z United States
- College students
- Sound recordings $ x production and direction