Many Streams, One River: Multimusical Educators in the K-12 Music Classroom

Abstract

In response to the blurred boundaries and hybrid identities that define contemporary landscapes, the field of music education can benefit from the perspectives of individuals who are successful at navigating diverse musical streams. To ensure a high degree of resonance and relevance for all levels of the profession, these insights should come from those who are also familiar and engaged with the contexts of K-12 music teaching. Thus, this narrative study explored the life stories of four multimusical educators to answer the following research questions: (a) How do participants describe their pathways to multimusicality? (b) In what ways do participants portray the dynamics between their musical worlds over time? and (c) How has participants’ diverse musicianship influenced their classroom pedagogy? Data was gathered through background questionnaires, preliminary conversations, and four narrative interviews. Data was first analyzed and interpreted at the individual level resulting in four self-contained chapters, each detailing a participant’s story. Subsequently, an analysis of narratives was conducted to identify and discuss themes that cut across multiple stories. The findings revealed that participants’ initial pathways to multimusicality largely stemmed from the contexts of family and community. As participants grew older, formal educational institutions and professional teachers exerted significant influence. The salience of third spaces (i.e., locations outside familial or institutional boundaries) as contexts for musical experimentation were especially important in adolescence. Curiosity was a longstanding force in deepening and widening musical understandings. The concurrent and historical dialectic between participants’ musical worlds widened their palette and gave them a holistic view of musical concepts, practices, and cultures. The pedagogical manifestations of these interactions were found to fall within the domains of powerful knowledge, transcultural expression, lifespan engagement, and intermusical networks. The findings of this study provide insights that may benefit the contexts of K-12 music teaching and music educator preparation programs. These include shared responsibilities for artistic growth and the potential for institutions to be sites of musical discovery. The findings also reveal new avenues for future research and scholarship involving individuals from other sectors of the music education network.