An Ethnographic Analysis of Participation, Learning and Agency in a Scottish Traditional Music Organisation
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0 An ethnographic analysis of participation, learning and agency in a Scottish traditional music organisation by Josephine Louise Miller A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Sheffield Faculty of Arts and Humanities Department of Music September 2016 1 Abstract The aim of this thesis is an ethnographic investigation of social and musical participation, learning and agency in a traditional music organisation in Scotland. I documented the activities of an established group and related my findings to wider scholarship. In previous studies of the transmission of traditional music, little attention has been given to the structures and practices of community-based groups which set out to create environments for learning and making music. This thesis uses a case study approach to research how competence is acquired and employed in one large charitable organisation, where learning is jointly shaped by tutors and participants. Fieldwork was undertaken mainly between January 2013 and June 2014, with Glasgow Fiddle Workshop (founded in 1990). I observed classes, sessions and events, typically in Further Education Colleges in Glasgow, but also in pubs and domestic settings. I engaged closely over an extended period with the diverse activities of GFW. I observed, conducted interviews, participated, recorded audio-visual data, and kept field notes as part of a multi-modal methodology. The key findings of this empirical study are that participation and agency function in multiple ways to empower members and tutors in communicating repertoire, skills and performance practice. It is argued that some existing models of music learning are inadequate in relation to the learning of traditional music, and that a more sophisticated conceptual framework is needed to describe the nature of the musical community observed. The conclusion to this thesis asserts that perceptions and practices of traditional music as social and participatory are central to the transmission of the genre, and learning roles are flexible in a stylistic community of practice which facilitates musical and social agency. This study contributes to scholarship on music learning in addressing cross-cutting themes and synthesising theoretical approaches, with potential impact for our understanding of wider, comparative practices of music making in the contemporary world. 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank past and present members, tutors and committee of Glasgow Fiddle Workshop for welcoming me, and assisting with the research for this study over several years. I have been enriched through my visits to GFW not only as a scholar, but also as musician and teacher, and I hope I have done justice to participants’ generosity in my representation of them here. My supervisor Professor Stephanie Pitts has provided encouragement, support and a critical eye, and I have particularly appreciated her calm approach. Dr Kathleen van Buren, other staff, and fellow students in the Department of Music have been stimulating colleagues during my time at the University of Sheffield, where study days and seminars have provided a scholarly community. Thanks also to the University of Sheffield for financial assistance to attend conferences. My friends Ian & Surriya Falconer have made visits to Sheffield particularly enjoyable through their kind hospitality, and also introducing me to the city beyond the University. I must thank my friends and family for their patient support, and for reminding me to keep making music as well as studying it. My son Owen, a fellow music student during the life of my research, has shared conversations on popular music and opened my ears to new sounds, and my son Neil has taken a keen interest in my topic and supplied practical assistance with IT matters. Lastly, I am particularly grateful to my husband Steve, for galvanising me to undertake this project in the first place, and for many forms of help and reassurance during its completion. 3 An ethnographic analysis of participation, learning and agency in a Scottish traditional music organisation TABLE OF CONTENTS page Abstract 1 Acknowledgments 2 Table of contents 3 List of tables and figures 6 List of music examples 7 List of items on DVD 8 Introduction and rationale for study 9 i. Focus, aim, and research questions 9 ii. Researcher’s background 11 iii. Structure of the thesis 12 Chapter 1 Review of literature: a theoretical framework for the study 14 1.1 Approaches to the study of music learning 14 1.1.1 Ethnomusicology 14 1.1.2 Music Education 15 1.1.3 Community Music 21 1.2 Social learning theory 25 1.2.1 Situated learning and communities of practice 25 1.2.2 Power and authority 27 1.2.3 Agency, identity, and learning trajectories 28 1.3 The learning and teaching of traditional music 33 1.3.1 Family 34 1.3.2 Master-apprentice 35 1.3.3 Sessions 36 1.3.4 Class settings for learning 37 1.3.5 Oral/aural and notational learning 40 1.3.6 Tutors 43 1.4 A theoretical framework 43 Chapter 2 Methodology and ethical considerations 45 2.1 Design of the case study 45 2.2 Fieldwork 47 4 2.3 Researcher stance and roles 47 2.3.1 Observation 47 2.3.2 The fieldworker as performer 48 2.4 Interviews 52 2.5 Audio-visual recording and photos 52 2.6 Use of documentation and archival material 54 2.7 Textual and musical transcription 54 2.8 Co-production of research 56 2.9 Ethical issues 57 2.10 Approaches to analysis 59 Chapter 3 GFW: Introducing the case study 61 3.1 Positioning in the Scottish traditional arts scene 61 3.1.1 A post-revival context 62 3.1.2 Community settings 63 3.1.3 Institutions 65 3.2 Introducing Glasgow Fiddle Workshop 68 3.2.1 Aims 70 3.2.2 Membership 72 3.2.3 Sub-groups 73 3.2.4 GFW as promoter 74 3.2.5 Communication and publicity 76 3.2.6 Location 78 (close-up A: two tutors) 83 3.2.7 Staffing 86 3.3 GFW as a community of practice 87 3.4 Summary 89 Chapter 4 Participating in classes: Learning the core competencies 91 4.1 Participation at Glasgow Fiddle Workshop 91 (close-up B: the family) 92 4.1.1 Joining GFW 94 4.2 GFW classes 96 4.2.1 Format of classes 98 4.2.2 Activities observed in classes 98 4.2.3 Tutor talk 99 4.2.4 Learning a tune 100 4.2.5 “Running it”: longer playings of tunes 103 4.2.6 Individual attention 106 4.2.7 Ornamentation, bowing 106 4.2.8 Contextual information on tunes 108 4.2.9 Chat 109 4.2.10 Dealing with notation 110 4.2.11 Scales and arpeggios 115 4.3 Choosing repertoire 117 (close-up C: the class) 119 5 4.4 Pedagogical approaches 121 4.4.1 Framing and staging 4.4.2 Motivation to teach 4.5 Summary 128 Chapter 5 Participating in performance: Putting competencies to work 130 5.1 Participatory performance 130 5.2 GFW sessions 132 5.2.1 Slow session/pre-class warm-up 136 5.2.2 Prepare for the pub 140 5.2.3 Very slow session 142 (close-up D: the very slow session) 144 5.2.4 Islay Inn session 146 5.3 Concerts 149 (close-up E: the end-of-term concert) 150 5.4 Performing groups 154 (close-up F: a performing group) 155 5.5 Summary 157 Chapter 6 Making choices: musical and social agency in GFW 159 6.1 Agency 159 6.2 Musical agency 160 6.2.1 Tutor talk 161 6.2.2 Choosing means of learning 164 6.2.3 Selection of repertoire 170 (close-up G: an adult accordionist) 169 6.2.4 Varying and accompanying the tune 172 6.2.5 Progression through classes 178 6.2.6 Self-reflexiveness 180 6.3 Social Agency 181 6.3.1 Friendship 181 6.3.2 Choosing not to participate 184 6.3.3 Participation beyond GFW 185 (close-up H: a junior fiddler) 187 6.4 Levels of involvement 189 6.5 Summary 191 Chapter 7 Conclusions 193 7.1 Findings 194 7.1.1 Learners as participants 194 7.1.2 Teaching and learning practices 194 7.1.3 Tutors 195 7.1.4 A community music organisation 195 7.1.5 Agency of participants 197 7.2 Development of methodology, and limitations of study 197 6 7.3 Theoretical implications 199 7.3.1 Participatory music 199 7.3.2 Informal learning and enculturation 200 7.3.3 Situated learning and communities of practice 201 7.3.4 Agency 202 7.4 Practical Implications 204 7.4.1 Participatory learning 204 7.4.2 Implications for practice and further research 205 7.5 Final thoughts 205 References 207 Appendices: 225 AI Index of fieldwork recordings 226 AII Interview questions 229 AIII Participant Information sheet and consent form 231 AIV Timeline of developments at GFW 235 AV Extract from GFW Good Practice Guide for tutors 238 AVI What fiddle class do I go to? 239 AVII Transcript of “Prepare for the pub” teaching session 241 AVIII Index of cassettes & CDs produced by GFW 250 AIX Pictures illustrating use of music notation at GFW 255 AX Music transcription for performance of Spootiskerry 258 AXI Music transcription for Kate Dalrymple 260 AXII Music transcription for Mrs MacLeod of Raasay 262 AXIII Scratchy Noises repertoire 264 AXIV Music transcription for John Joe’s Jig 265 List of tables 1. Fieldwork calendar 47 2. Fieldwork films shown to participants 54 3.