1st Edition
Becoming an Irish Traditional Musician Learning and Embodying Musical Culture
Coupling the narratives of twenty-two Irish traditional musicians alongside intensive field research, Becoming an Irish Traditional Musician explores the rich and diverse ways traditional musicians hone their craft. It details the educational benefits and challenges associated with each learning practice, outlining the motivations and obstacles learners experience during musical development. By exploring learning from the point of view of the learners themselves, the author provides new insights into modern Irish traditional music culture and how people begin to embody a musical tradition. This book charts the journey of becoming an Irish traditional musician and explores how musicality is learned, developed, and embodied.
Introduction: Exploring the Journey of Musical Enculturation
Irish Traditional Music as a Community of Practice
Constructing this Ethnography
The Transmission of Irish Traditional Music: Key Features
1 Passing it on: Connecting with a Community of Practitioners
Mentors
Peers
Family
Enthusiasts
Entering the Community of Practice
2 Transmission, Inspiration, and Social Tensions in Irish Traditional Music Sessions
Acquiring Repertoire
Developing Technique and Personal Style
Situated Learning
Troubleshooting: Challenges to Learning in Sessions
The Session: Who is it for?
3 Organized Informality: Teaching and Institutionalizing Irish Traditional Music
The Teaching of Irish Traditional Music
Schooling
Community Music Organizations
Gateways into the Community of Practice
4 Musicking at Festivals, Summer Schools, and Live Events
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
Scoil Éigse
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy
Céilidhs, Sing-songs, and Concerts
5 Technology and Irish Traditional Music Culture
Part 1: Old Media
The Role of Literacy in an Oral Practice
The Phonographic Revolution
Film, Television, and Video Technology
Part 2: New Media
Traditional Music in a Digital Age: The Role of the Internet
The Dawning of the Postdigital Day
Conclusion: The Lifelong Process of Becoming an Irish Traditional Musician
Searching for Patterns of Musical Enculturation
The Job of Journeywork: Navigating Multiple Paths
Biography
Dr Jessica Cawley is an active performer, educator, and researcher in the area of Irish traditional music and music education. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of New Hampshire (2006), an MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick (2008), and a PhD from University College Cork (2013). She established the non-profit organization Creative Tradition in 2013, where she currently teaches traditional music in schools and in the community in partnership with Music Generation.
