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Arts & Communication Inclusive musicking: A narrative inquiry

Musicking has been explored in the realms of sit away from the teachers and avoid the front rows. This
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ethnomusicology, music therapy, and music education. indicates that there is a teacher-oriented authority rather
Brucher and Reily investigated the diverse ways in than a shared learning experience between students and
which people engage with music in local communities. teachers in traditional classrooms. Shor’s concept also
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By investigating musicking in more than 30 countries, explored the possibility of “escaping Siberia” by upending
they concluded that musicking contributes to identity the power relationships that typically define the teacher–
construction, community-building, and local-global student relationship and placing the two parties in difficult-
dynamics. Similarly, Ruddock criticized Western stances to-leave roles that reinforce one another. In related research,
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of perceiving music and labeling musical beings as either Shaw critically analyzed the online instruction during the
musical or non-musical. COVID-19 pandemic and stated that the return to physical
In the realm of music therapy, musicking has classrooms after the pandemic offered an opportunity to
been increasingly considered as a noteworthy tool for disrupt the Siberian Syndrome and the status quo. 10
reframing musical companionship in community music I have been engaged in practical/collaborative
therapy. Pavlicevic and Ansdell insisted that musicking research on musicking as a performer, music educator,
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construction can naturally and flexibly range between and researcher of music education in various Japanese
intimate musical companionship and the broader musical schools. 8,11-18 Throughout my career, I have recognized that
community, based on circumstantial needs and the physical musicking gave freedom and choices to individual learners
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and cultural context. Stige considered musicking as an and allowed them to explore the learning contents. I have
interdisciplinary tool for enriching the health affordance of also worked with experts in fields other than music,
the arena, activities, and artifacts of music practice. Instead such as those in international education and elementary,
of focusing on the direct effects of music therapy, the study secondary, and special education, along with children,
highlighted the importance of focusing on people’s use of caregivers, and parents. 8,11-18
the musical features of a situation. Previous literature has In recent years, my research team has focused on
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suggested the personal use of musicking for people living developing practical models that allow children with
with dementia and explored the psychological, social, and autism and severe and multiple disabilities to participate in
emotional benefits of musicking. In sum, the concept of music activities. 8,12,16 I co-constructed universally designed
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musicking has been evaluated and scrutinized from diverse music activities that anyone can participate in, regardless of
vantage points. whether they have a disability. 8,12,16 The most recent practice
Moreover, musicking has questioned the Western highlighted the usage of online distance education systems
tradition of concert music and the design of music to conduct musicking in rural schools. This series of
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performance and listening as the auditorium model. In this studies created a practical model for music-making, where
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regard, Small critically analyzed the fact that large concert anyone can participate and interact with others with
halls were originally constructed for large performance different interests, skills, and musical experiences. 8,11-18
groups such as symphony orchestras. However, such spaces Kaku described the Japanese term kyosei as a
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create a separation between performers and audiences. 1 symbiotic “spirit of cooperation” in which individuals and
Specifically, in auditorium settings, performers are organizations live and work together for the common good.
normally on the stage, whereas the audience merely The symbiotic spirit that Kaku mentioned constitutes the
sits quietly and listens to the performance. Here, Small very foundation of musicking practice. Through practical
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observed that the auditorium’s design not only discourages investigations of musicking, it has become apparent that
communication among members of the audience but also it embodies symbiosis, in which each participant in the
tells them that they are there to simply listen and not talk musical activity mutually accepts one another and creates
back. This auditorium design is also common in Japanese a community that shares the same spirit, without excluding
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music education, music instruction, and learning, thus others. Meanwhile, related literature has indicated a lack
discouraging communication among participants in the of actual cases and practice models of musicking for
creation and performance of music while simultaneously inclusion classes. 20-23
reminding them that their role is to listen and not Consequently, the present study includes the following
respond. This conventional model of music performance research questions:
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and listening is pervasive in Japanese music education. 8 1. What is an inclusive process of musicking in a special
In the field of education, Shor echoed this viewpoint needs classroom in Japan?
when he described students’ seating preferences as the 2. What specific variables of musicking foster inclusive
Siberian Syndrome, or the ingrained tendency to always practice?

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.2747