Social Inclusion in Contemporary British Conservatoires

Abstract

Abstract This chapter discusses contemporary British music conservatoires and their practices, as experienced from the perspectives of alumni. Specifically, the discussion centers around the issue of social background in relation to class, and the social dimensions of pedagogy and learning, and how social position in wider society affects alumni experience of educational practices. This chapter demonstrates that alumni’s social backgrounds are intrinsically interwoven with their notions of self- and musical identity. It examines how social background impacts higher education experiences and how feelings of inequality are exacerbated by institutional practices. Qualitative data gathering was undertaken via interviews with 20 conservatoire alumni reflecting attendance dates spanning 1990 to 2018, representing seven institutions across England and Wales. Applying the lens of Stuart Hall and Pierre Bourdieu, a cultural and class-based analysis of the ethnographic data was generated. Ultimately, this study shows that conservatoires have typically underestimated the impact of their practices on musicians’ identity formation.