Musician Identity Research Articles

Robbed or Released by the Pandemic? The Dynamics of Integrating and Situating Musician Identity Learning

The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of musician identity learning. Identity is a significant driving-force behind many artistic vocations. However, identity may also pose challenges such as vulnerability, burnout and conflict of commitment. The paper focuses on musician identity, based on interviews with classical and rock musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses reveal that the musicians are either in integrating or situating musician identity learning, two different processes discussed as dynamically interrelated and depending on life situation. The paper argues that breaks of normality accentuate challenges stemming from musician identity and that the proposed learning processes are responses to those challenges, which is previously under-explored. The paper concludes that many musicians or other artistic practitioners likely struggle to de-centralize their identity in order to foster a sustainable vocational career and personal growth, and that temporary career breaks may provide necessary relief and learning space.

Timbre Semantic Associations Vary Both Between and Within Instruments

The main objective of this study is to understand how timbre semantic associations—for example, a sound’s timbre perceived as bright, rough, or hollow—vary with register and pitch height across instruments. In this experiment, 540 online participants rated single, sustained notes from eight Western orchestral instruments (flute, oboe, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, and vibraphone) across three registers (low, medium, and high) on 20 semantic scales derived from Reymore and Huron (2020). The 24 two-second stimuli, equalized in loudness, were produced using the Vienna Symphonic Library. Exploratory modeling examined relationships between mean ratings of each semantic dimension and instrument, register, and participant musician identity (“musician” vs. “nonmusician”). For most semantic descriptors, both register and instrument were significant predictors, though the amount of variance explained differed (marginal R2). Terms that had the strongest positive relationships with register include shrill/harsh/noisy, sparkling/brilliant/bright, ringing/long decay, and percussive. Terms with the strongest negative relationships with register include deep/thick/heavy, raspy/grainy/gravelly, hollow, and woody. Post hoc modeling using only pitch height and only register to predict mean semantic rating suggests that pitch height may explain more variance than does register. Results help clarify the influence of both instrument and relative register (and pitch height) on common timbre semantic associations.

The Boubou and Post-Colonial African Musical Performances: Ami Koïta, Bi Kidude, and Sibongile Khumalo

Fashion and music share a relationship as mediums used to project the identities of post- colonial female vocalists. When viewed from post-colonial African contexts, the boubou is an item used to express these identities. Using the performances of Ami Koïta, Bi Kidude, and Sibongile Khumalo between 1995 and 2013, this article analyzes their use of the boubou. My research shows that Koïta’s use of the boubou coincides with her innovative and controversial musical composition, argued herein, and works to express her “solo artist” status. Kidude’s garb demonstrates her attempt to show her Zanzibari and African artist identity. Khumalo’s garb expresses a South African and African musician identity and projects South Africa as a “new nation.” These findings suggest that when used in various locales, the boubou holds context- specific meanings that align with each country’s socio-cultural and socio-political contexts. While this clothing item has been affiliated with fashion designers and tailors and their contribution to the African fashion and clothing system, this article’s contribution is the role played by female vocalists. These women show their identities through fashion and music and cement the boubou’s position as an important item of the African clothing and fashion system.

”Mustan miehen musiikkia”

”Black Man’s Music”: Name Changes and Identity Negotiation among Finnish Jewish Jazz Musicians during 1920s – 1940s 
 Many name changes of Jewish performing artists in Finland during the 1920s–1940s raise questions about the status of musicians from ethnic minorities and the boundaries of entertainment industry. In this article, I examine, on the one hand, the creating of an image of a ”Finnish” or ”American” jazz musician by name changes, and on the other hand, the concealing of one’s own ethnic origins in an occasionally xenophobic and antisemitic atmosphere. I also analyse how they have negotiated their musician identity in terms of Finnishness, Finnish Swedishness, Jewishness and African American jazz. As examples I use the five siblings of the Manulkin family and Jaakko Furman in Helsinki because of their prominent position and because in their cases the discussed phenomena are clearly visible.
 The Manulkin siblings took American-style names on their own initiative and Furman a Finnish name at his employer’s requirement. In the Manulkin case the name changes allowed them to create a musician image in harmony with the genre they represented. Their name changes also illustrate how Jewish musicians tried to adapt to the pressure of the time, at the same time wanting to preserve the integrity of their ethnic and cultural identity.
 When negotiating his identity in interviews, Furman does not bring up his Jewish background as he does with his identity as a Finnish Swedish speaker. His ethnic background is only reflected on the interviewers’ initiative when discussing the prominent role of Jewish musicians in the field of jazz and the xenophobic atmosphere of the Second World War. In interviews, Furman identifies himself more with Swedish speaking swing musicians than as a representative of Jewish jazz musicians in Finland or as a member of the Jewish community. He emphasises how jazz music provided Finnish Jewish musicians with a more tolerant community and atmosphere that rose above discrimination.

Speculation over the Love for Rock Music. Media Constructions of Groupies Between the 1960s and 1970s

The music media have constructed the identity of groupies as sexual and passive objects, submissive, inauthentic consumers of music. The stereotype, although still present in popular culture, is criticized by both the interested parties and rock artists. This article is an attempt to discuss the role that groupies played in the creation of the myth and character of the rock god, while taking into account the preconceived assumptions held by the popular media. Narratives of groupies’ participation in the emerging rock and metal scene have also been included as the ones which created a male rock musician identity: wild, aggressive and powerful. The basis for the discussion of groupies and their role in building identity in the context of rock music is the result of a deep, rhetorical analysis of groupies’ biographies, press materials, films, scientific literature and own research.

Stereotypes of Musicians-Performers Using National Instruments: Psychological and Culturological Aspects

the purpose of work is to prove psychological prerequisites of playing music for national instruments in condition of traditional Russian performing school which are that the specifics of a playing the national instruments are caused both by tradition canons, and individual socio- and ethnopsychological manifestations of the musician identity. Characteristic qualities of the performer predetermine any given stereotypes which are considered in article. The system method of art studies (musicology), cognitive approach to a research of the identity of the musician and also the principle of the theory of psychological types of creative persons served as methods of a research. Research conclusions are that: stereotypes of performing musicians define style of interpretation and explain any given effect on listeners. Cultural and educational work of the performing musician begins to be filled with special sense as the musician is a performer and creator of composition and the concept of her artistic realization, and features of stereotypes of performing musicians affect efficiency and success of their creative activity – concert work and enlightenment.

Occupational Health Problems of Classical Guitarists.

Classical guitarists may experience unique occupational health problems due to a constellation of biopsychosocial demands associated with the physical characteristics of the classical guitar, performance techniques, repertoire, and performance practices consistent with the classical music genre. Unfortunately, epidemiologic studies of classical guitarists are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal problems in classical guitarists. A sample of 190 classical guitarists completed a web-based survey. The survey assessed demographics, music-related variables, musician identity, non-musculoskeletal problems, and site-specific pain. Novel interactive body and hand maps were deployed to assess site-specific frequency, intensity, influence on playing, and quality of pain. A total of 168 subjects (88.9%) reported experiencing classical guitar-related pain in the past year at one or more musculoskeletal sites. The left thenar (25%) was the most prevalent pain site. Pain at the right upper back was reported to influence performance the most. Classical guitarists reported problems with non-musculoskeletal problems at rates similar or higher to other instrument-specific groups. Classical guitarists are an understudied group of musicians who experience occupational health problems. The novel assessment protocols developed for this study produced outcomes that may be helpful to both clinicians and pedagogues.

The rapper is present: Sound art, liveness, and the negotiation of identity in Jay Z's “Picasso Baby”

This article explores the contexts and cultural significance of the hip-hop musician Jay Z's performance inside an art gallery in New York on July 10, 2013, when he sung his rap song “Picasso Baby” repeatedly for the duration of six hours. Focusing on three themes crucial to his work—sound art, liveness, and the negotiation of the musician's identity—I evaluate how sound sculpted the performance space and generated an exchange of energies between artist and audience. I investigate the role of liveness in the performance and how the artist's presence magnified his proximity and intimacy with the spectators. A symbolic analysis of the work concludes with an argument that Jay Z's piece was the poetic and political performance of his artistry and stardom.

Why Cover? An Ethnographic Exploration of Identity Politics Surrounding 'Covers' and 'Originals' Music in Dunedin, New Zealand

This paper explores the identity of musicians located in Dunedin, New Zealand (NZ), whom are both ‘covers’ musicians, as well as members of the notable indie rock-oriented ‘originals’ community. It specifically reviews the tensions concerning musicians’ identity in relation to their practice of performing covers, which carries preconceptions (from the public and other musicians) concerning a lack of artistic integrity. Drawing on participant-observation ethnographic research, this paper critically reviews extant literature on cover music which tends to emphasise the “song” over the practice of covering (Magnus, Magnus and Uidhir 2013, Cusic 2005, Gregory 2012, Brown 2014, Rings 2013, 2014, and Solis 2010), including the idea of the cover as “versioning practice” (Solis 2010), and the monolithic idea of the “mimic cover” (Magnus, Magnus and Uidhir 2013). The literature generally does not address issues of cover-practitioner’s identity, nor how the practice of covering impacts on musician’s originals music making. My analysis is also informed by literature on Dunedin music making – specifically research that focusses on the historically significant ‘Dunedin Sound’ originals scene. I argue that through covering, Dunedin musicians contradict dominant identifications that have been previously emphasised in both the literature and mediatised representations of the musical scene of Dunedin, NZ, and subvert traditional positionings of Dunedin musical artists by formulating and expressing a complex identity. The participants I interviewed for this research clearly identify that their covering directly support their originals pursuits in multifarious ways. Participants also identify a stigma associated with covering, and reinforce this by emphasising their own desire to perform originals, and thus highlight the key concepts that underpin the identity politics among musicians in this context.

Undergraduate Double Majors’ Perceptions of Performer and Teacher Identity Development

The purpose of this research was to investigate music performer/music teacher identity by examining double majors in various stages of their programs of study aspiring to become a performer and music educator. Unlike their single-major peers, double majors cope with additional challenges as they simultaneously develop both identities, determining who they are and who they hope to become. Using individual and focus group interviews and e-mail prompts, I investigated the experiences of five undergraduate students majoring in music education and music performance. Participants expressed various degrees of blended musician identity. Although they described similar socialization processes, training as performers and teachers—in conjunction with challenging schedules—enhanced and exacerbated those processes. Participants identified performer and teacher qualities influencing self-perceptions and described conflict between performance and music education majors within studios and university. Music teacher educators can use their role as socialization agents as they guide performer-teachers through dual- and single-degree programs.

Online Versus Traditional Master of Music in Music Education Degree Programs

The purpose of this study was to describe the reasons that two matriculated students had for enrollment into either an online or a traditional master of music in music education (MME) degree program. Research questions were the following: (a) What are the reasons each student gave for matriculating into either an online or a traditional MME program? (b) What are these students’ perceptions of both types of MME programs? How did those perceptions influence their decisions to matriculate into a respective program, if at all? Reasons for matriculating into a respective program included professional and financial obligations, creating relationships with faculty, perceived flexibility of the online program, and development of musician identity and musicianship. Implications include employing the hybrid course format to create a balance of both types of learning environments. Suggestions for future research include investigating the value that students find in an applied lesson and/or ensemble participation component of an MME program.

“You Start Feeling Old”

Using interview data from 38 musicians, this study examines the ways in which the transition to adulthood is complicated by aspirations to a nonstandard line of work. Musicians face a recurring set of obstacles as they move into adulthood and respond by enacting various tactics to reconcile these dilemmas. The “on-time” musicians do so by framing emerging adulthood as a time for exploration, while musicians in young adulthood regarded as “off-time” feel more pressure to disengage from musical careers. Those who persist are able to do so by successfully reframing the musician identity as congruent with adulthood. This research illustrates the challenges of attaining adulthood for those on nonstandard paths as well as the ways in which adulthood is achieved by contemporary young adults.

The Occupational Identity of In-Service Secondary Music Educators

In order to explore the factors that inform the occupational identity development of in-service music educators and to compare the identities of in-service teachers with those of preservice music educators as examined in previous research, the purposes of this study were to examine the reported occupational identity of in-service secondary music educators and identify the interpersonal interactions and activities that help form occupational identity. A stratified random sample of secondary music teachers ( N = 300) completed a questionnaire based on previous research. Participants reported a majority of integrated (view of self and perceived view of others) professional roles, although participants believed themselves to be musicians more than they felt others believed them to be. Participants reported positive interactions with music students and other music educators and that directing ensembles and attending music conferences were the most positive experiences. Participants who reported positive relationships with other music educators and music students were likely to develop an educator identity. External musician identity was predicted by relationships with other teachers as well as with students outside of music. Participants with positive administration relationships were less likely to exhibit an internal musician identity. As teachers move from preservice to in-service, their musician identities may transform from being relatively integrated to becoming more differentiated.

A multi-institution exploration of secondary socialization and occupational identity among undergraduate music majors

Researchers are increasingly interested in the psychological and sociological processes by which college students develop competence and confidence as musicians. We surveyed 454 undergraduate music majors enrolled in one of three NASM-accredited music schools in the US. Participants completed a questionnaire that addressed beliefs about influential people and experiences, occupational roles within music, and music career commitment. Studio teachers were viewed as the strongest musician and teacher role models, studio teachers and parents had the most positive influence on pursuit of a music degree, and most performance-related activities were considered extremely important. People and experiences merged to exert influence through multiple contexts (both within and outside the music school environment), and occupational identity was multi-dimensional in nature (corresponding to different musical roles/occupations). Social influences, as well as teacher and musician identity, contributed to music career commitment prediction. We found evidence of some institutional differences and strong degree program effects, implying that decisions about which music school to attend and degree program(s) to pursue may have important consequences for socialization and occupational identity construction. We concluded that the presence of diverse but mutually supportive socialization structures may facilitate the integration of music, teacher and scholar identities among undergraduate music majors.

`That's my piece, that's my signature, and it means more ...': creative identity and the ensemble teacher/ arranger

This study follows a phenomenological qualitative research tradition. Two K—12 (5—6 years old through 17—18 years old) music teachers were asked to create an arrangement of a musical selection of their choice to be performed by their students. Guidelines were emergent to allow for the construction of meaningful projects that would encourage personal growth and the development of each participant's creative skills. The primary data collection technique was a semi-structured interview. These interviews were conducted at various stages before, during and after music was arranged for performance. Participants' responses were transcribed and examined for patterns, trends and themes. From this data, codes emerged. These codes were sorted and categorized into four themes: (1) teacher ownership of arrangements/compositions; (2) compositional process: manipulation of musical materials; (3) continuing education; (4) culture of creativity: impact of the projects on students. Findings support the literature regarding musician identity. The researcher provides a model of the relationship of role-identities to musician identity, as well as a model of music teacher identity progression.

Musicians and Teachers

This study was designed to investigate the socialization and occupational identity of undergraduate music education majors enrolled in traditional preservice teacher education programs. Preservice music teachers ( N = 578) from 30 randomly sampled institutions completed a 128-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were computed for all variables, and factor analysis was used to explore the underlying structure of occupational identity. Correlational and regression analyses revealed relationships among socialization influences and occupational identity. Descriptive findings surrounding various aspects of primary and secondary socialization revealed that parents, school music teachers, and private lesson instructors exerted a positive influence on student decisions related to participating in music and pursuing a music education career. Factor analysis results indicated that occupational identity consisted of three constructs: musician identity, self-perceived teacher identity, and teacher identity as inferred from others. Correlations between secondary socialization and occupational identity were slightly stronger than those between primary socialization and occupational identity, and influential experiences were more predictive of occupational identity than influential people.