“UNTIL THAT SONG IS BORN”: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG COLLABORATIVE SONGWRITERS IN NASHVILLE By Stuart Chapman Hill A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Music Education—Doctor of Philosophy 2016 ABSTRACT “UNTIL THAT SONG IS BORN”: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONG COLLABORATIVE SONGWRITERS IN NASHVILLE By Stuart Chapman Hill With the intent of informing the practice of music educators who teach songwriting in K– 12 and college/university classrooms, the purpose of this research is to examine how professional songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee—one of songwriting’s professional “hubs”—teach and learn from one another in the process of engaging in collaborative songwriting. This study viewed songwriting as a form of “situated learning” (Lave & Wenger, 1991) and “situated practice” (Folkestad, 2012) whose investigation requires consideration of the professional culture that surrounds creative activity in a specific context (i.e., Nashville). The following research questions guided this study: (1) How do collaborative songwriters describe the process of being inducted to, and learning within, the practice of professional songwriting in Nashville, (2) What teaching and learning behaviors can be identified in the collaborative songwriting processes of Nashville songwriters, and (3) Who are the important actors in the process of learning to be a collaborative songwriter in Nashville, and what roles do they play (e.g., gatekeeper, mentor, role model)? This study combined elements of case study and ethnography. Data sources included observation of co-writing sessions, interviews with songwriters, and participation in and observation of open mic and writers’ nights. I transcribed co-writing sessions and interviews and coded all data for emergent themes. Trustworthiness procedures included triangulation through multiple data sources, “member checking” of transcripts by participants, and review of coded documents by two colleagues in the music education research community. Songwriters located their learning in classrooms and workshops, in the co-writing room, in individual learning pursuits, and in the broader context of the Nashville songwriting community. Songwriters’ learning combined both formal and informal modes. Some of their informal practices aligned with those described in previous research on popular musicians’ learning, though the “listening and copying” identified by Green (2002) did not “translate” directly, given that “copying” is not as valued when generating original material is the goal. Co-writer selection was an important factor in songwriters’ learning. The learning that occurred in co-writing spaces seemed to reflect Green’s (2002) concepts of both “peer-directed learning” and “group learning,” but also a form of “peer coaching” through “checks and balances” that seemed distinct from the learning modes that Green described. Pressure was an important factor for some participants: on one hand, the company of co-writers reduces pressure surrounding creative activity; on the other, accountability to one’s collaborators increases the pressure to be engaged and thoughtful in the co-writing process. Songwriters also valued a safe and open co-writing environment that supported both creativity and learning. Participants identified several “important actors” in their Nashville songwriting lives. Professional organizations played an important role, as did certain individuals—managers, veteran writers, open mic and writers’ night hosts, and publishers. Some of these actors played important mentor/sponsor roles, whereas others acted as gatekeepers in the environment. Findings from this study prompt teachers of songwriting and music educators in general to consider how formal and informal practices can be combined in formal situations. These findings also reveal the potential power of co-writing as a learning tool in songwriting classes, though it should be balanced with other activities. Recommendations for future research in the teaching and learning of songwriting are offered as well. Copyright by STUART CHAPMAN HILL 2016 For my music teachers. Every single one of them. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Sandra Snow, when I watched you conduct the North Carolina Middle School Honors Chorus in 2012, I knew I needed to learn from you, but I never could have imagined how wonderful or deep that learning would be. Thank you for guiding my hands, my mind, and my heart; thank you for listening deeply and caringly; thank you for giving me permission to be who I am and helping me find the tools to do it. You will always be a tremendous inspiration to me. Dr. Cynthia Crump Taggart, you have a rare and extraordinary gift for all the dimensions of teaching and mentoring—loving, guiding, prodding, redirecting—and I cannot get over how lucky I am to have been one of your students. Dr. Mitchell Robinson, I would not be the writer or thinker I am without being coached and challenged by you, and I thank you for and admire your tireless devotion to what matters most for students and teachers. Dr. Michael Largey, your teaching and mentorship have changed my academic life and helped me settle on a trajectory, and I feel so fortunate to carry your wisdom with me on my journey. I am surrounded by a beautiful community of friends and colleagues—in Michigan, in Missouri, in North Carolina, in Tennessee, and elsewhere—and, friends, I could never say enough about how much your support and love has meant and continues to mean. Mom, Dad, Patrick, and Anna, the best part of “Dr. Hill” is the “Hill” part—you are my heart and soul. I am a “words guy,” but my love for you far exceeds my facility with language. The songwriters whose words you read herein are incredible life-observers, melody- shapers, lyric-crafters, and storytellers. Without their insight, this project would be nothing, and I am so very grateful for the privilege of learning from them. Thank you again and again. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Music Education in the 21st Century .................................................................................. 3 Popular/Vernacular Music ................................................................................................... 5 Informal Learning ................................................................................................................ 8 Studies of Popular Musicians’ Informal Learning Practices ................................. 10 Informal Learning Practices in Formal Scholastic Settings .................................. 12 Composition ...................................................................................................................... 16 Songwriting ....................................................................................................................... 22 Need for the Study ............................................................................................................. 24 Purpose and Problems ....................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH ................................................................. 26 Compositional Process Research ....................................................................................... 26 Professional Composers ........................................................................................ 26 Expert/Novice Comparisons .................................................................................. 28 Individual Student Composers .............................................................................. 31 Composing in Groups ............................................................................................ 36 Composition in Vernacular Ensembles ................................................................. 39 Summary of Compositional Process Research ...................................................... 41 Research on Songwriting ................................................................................................... 43 Songwriting in Music Therapy .............................................................................. 44 Songwriting in Educational Settings ..................................................................... 47 Studies of Professional Songwriters ...................................................................... 49 Summary of Research Related to Songwriting ..................................................... 52 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 54 Theoretical Lens ................................................................................................................ 55 Design ................................................................................................................................ 56 Participant Selection .......................................................................................................... 57 Data Collection .................................................................................................................. 59 Observation of Co-Writing Sessions ..................................................................... 59 Observation of Open Mic and Writers’ Nights ....................................................