Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications

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Type: Journal Article × Author: Thompson, Grace × Author: Skinner, Anthea × Author: McFerran, Katrina ×

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    Professional Pathways for Musicians with Disability in Victoria, Australia
    Skinner, A ; Thompson, G ; McFerran, KS (ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2022-01-02)
    The work of disabled musicians has become the focus on of an increasingly large body of academic work; however, existing literature rarely provides details about the educational experiences of these musicians, or how disability impacted these experiences. This study interviewed eleven performing musicians living with disability in Australia to elucidate the barriers and enablers that they faced in their music educations and careers. We developed a ‘nested model’ based on a qualitative narrative analysis which identified barriers and enablers coming from ‘the musician’, ‘the self’, ‘other people’, and ‘the system’. We used this model to draw out further themes and counter-themes across the interviews to begin to illuminate the barriers. Each of our participants was able to identify numerous barriers to access, which they had experienced during their musical careers. Despite this, ten of our eleven participants continued to find ways to participate and express their creativity in musical activities, and they provided many practical suggestions for improving access. Future studies that seek perspectives from disabled music students, or those who are in the early stages of their careers, may provide further insights to better understand barriers and enablers.
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    Structure, agency and community: Using online music gatherings to support social inclusion for people with disabilities in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic
    McFerran, K ; Skinner, A ; Hall, T ; Thompson, G (GRIEG ACADEMY, 2022-05-27)
    Introduction: In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns in the southern states of Australia, many community music and music therapy projects shifted to an online format. This paper discusses the formation and creation of four online music groups aimed at people with disability, including two groups for children and two for adults. The aim of the study was to explore the use of online technologies to support social inclusion and wellbeing when participants were physically isolated. Method: This study positioned group participants as co-researchers to recognize the expertise many people with disability hold from being housebound or socially isolated. We adopted an action research framework in which participants provided ongoing reflections on the use of technology, access, musical foci and social interaction to iteratively develop the sessions through cycles of reflexive action. These data were triangulated with data collected through participant observation and individual interviews. Results: The structured format of the sessions created online spaces for people with different disability, age and gender identities to explore their creativity together. Far from limiting participants’ autonomy and safety, the structured setting promoted their agency in decision-making and shaping the groups to meet their needs. Discussion: Many participants interacted with the group or adapted to the online experiences in ways which the authors had not anticipated. While we were expecting our cohort to have expertise with social isolation, we found that they also had high levels of expertise as passionate musicians, which they used to frame the activities of the online gatherings.