| Music psychologist seeks brass players for two projects in social identity research | April 9, 2007 | |||||
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Sheffield University psychologist Kate Gee writes: “What makes a brass musician? Over the past few years, I have been exploring this question with professional and amateur brass musicians, asking them what it is that music contributes to their identities. I’ve worked with a number of brass chamber groups at different stages of their careers; asking them to complete diaries of their rehearsing and performing experiences and to let me observe the ups and downs of months of rehearsals in order to distinguish the real ways that the groups functioned. We have talked about how groups evolve over time, somehow creating a separate ‘group identity’ that is disrupted when there are deps (subs) in the group; ‘It’s just not the same, we’ve not got the A team out…you can really tell, it doesn’t sound quite right.’ For many of the groups the repertoire and the sound they were aiming for became a distinct marker of their identities; this may sound an obvious idea to any musicians reading this: however, it is something that has received little attention within music psychology research. The groups I have worked with were all at very distinct stages in their move to become ‘professional chamber ensembles’: one group was still at college, another had members who had all left college within the last two years, and the last group was a well-established chamber ensemble for over ten years. This range of groups has provided a coherent picture of the many ways that groups understand the musical world and move forward in response. This is important when you consider that the world of music performance is fairly informal and has no set career pattern or progression; much of it seems to be ‘being in the right place at the right time, and an awful lot of luck.’ I’ve spoken to many musicians at different points in their musical careers because this research is based upon a ‘lifespan perspective’. As such, it aims to take a broad overview of the different challenges that are posed and beliefs that are held at key points in musicians’ lives. I’ve explored ideas that are central to taking up brass, such as how and why some of us have an opportunity to take up one instrument over another and whether for example there are gender differences in instrument choice. In addition, whether the tendency of brass musicians to develop their musical skills within groups (training bands etc.) as opposed to just individual lessons has affected their identity as musicians. I then became interested in why some of us remain as amateur musicians and others move into semi-professional and professional musical roles. What is it that motivates us into one path or another?
I currently have two projects underway. 1. Twenty-year-plus players The first involves interviewing professional brass musicians at different stages in their careers, asking them to reflect on the different paths that they have created, and the goals that they aspire to obtain. I am especially interested in how individuals manage and plan their portfolio careers and how the groups in these careers contribute to their identities as musicians. If you are a professional musician who has been in the business for over twenty years, please get in contact. 2. All brass players The second project consists of a large social survey of anyone who plays or has played brass, whether amateur or professional. Again, I am interested in understanding the choices that musicians have made as well as wider social concerns, such as the existence of a brass stereotype and the progression that female brass musicians have made into the professional musical world. The survey takes 15-20 minutes and can be found at www.kategee.co.uk: completed surveys are accepted until the beginning of December 2007. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and opinions – and there are prizes to be won!”
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