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Roots and routes in adult musical participation: investigating the impact of home and school on lifelong musical interest and involvement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 October 2009

Stephanie Pitts
Stephanie Pitts*
Affiliation:
Department of Music, University of Sheffield, Jessop Building, 34 Leavygreave Road, Sheffield S3 7RD, UKs.e.pitts@sheffield.ac.uk
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Abstract

This paper analyses a collection of musical life histories, drawn from 71 British respondents who have maintained a lifelong interest in music as regular concert-goers, amateur performers and/or music educators. These respondents reflect on the influences and opportunities which have contributed to their lifelong engagement in music, and in doing so illustrate the impact of changes in British music education and culture over the last 50 years. Particular analytical focus is placed here on the relative influence of home and school, on the ideal characteristics of each environment, and the relationship between them. The value of a long-term perspective on music education is debated, and conclusions drawn about the challenges to teachers and researchers that are evident from this study.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , November 2009 , pp. 241 - 256
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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