The Self-Identity Of Young Musicians

Abstract

Abstract What does it mean to be a young musician? In Western cultures, being a ‘musician’ is often equated with being able to play a musical instrument. However, there is growing criticism of this narrow conceptualization by researchers in such diverse fields as psychology, sociology, musicology, ethnomusicology, education, music analysis, aesthetics and cultural theory (see, for example, Cook, 1990; Trevarthen, 1999; DeNora, 2000). Although there is no agreed definition of what constitutes a musician, contemporary theorists from across these disciplines appear to agree on the need for the term to encompass more than the ability to demonstrate music performance skills. Despite this recognition, both popular and scientific discourses continue to distinguish between those who are musicians and those who are not. This distinction is particularly prominent and influential in childhood and adolescence (see also Lamont, Chapter 3, this volume).

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