Journal of Popular Music Education - Volume 4, Issue 3, 2020

In this article, we use intersectionality as a theoretical lens to explore the negotiations in popular music education (PME) in one Finnish upper elementary classroom. By considering the hegemonic position of PME in Finnish schools, two researchers engaged in inter-reflexivity in order to shift the focus from popular music ‘itself’ to the sociocultural structures and conditions in which PME is implemented. PME has often been treated as the democratizer of music education. In this article, however, we argue that the democratic potential of PME depends on the pedagogical implementation of the practice. Furthermore, we argue that for such education to become democratic, the teacher needs to identify the intersectional power structures that shape interaction between people so as to become aware of the school culture and its norms. In this process, the ongoing development of teacher reflexivity plays an essential role.

In an age of social justice advocacy within education, the work of Black women continues to be excluded from the hegemonic educational canon despite the long history of Black feminists advocating for the eradication of systemic oppressive systems in education. By examining the livelihoods and music created by Black feminist musicians, music educators may begin to reflect on how Black women’s positionality within society has had a direct influence on the music they created within a White culturally dominant society. The purpose of this article is to conceptualize how the intersectional musicality of Nina Simone and Janelle Monáe – informed by the conceptual framework of Black Feminist Thought – can speak to the experiences that Black girls and women face within music education and society.

Existing studies about DJ learning and experience hint at the importance of place and music in the development of DJ musicianship. An exploration of the experiences of a queer DJ performing electronic dance music in a queer place might broaden our understanding of how musical expression and identity intermingle with musical places. I sought to understand how the monthly queer event Bronco functioned as a place for musical expression for an electronic dance music DJ named Greg. Using the remix as a methodological framework, I layered samples from interviews and field texts to depict Greg’s experiences alongside my own at Bronco. Findings illuminate the role of place in Greg’s musical development, performances and expression of musical and sexual identity. The resonance of Greg’s experiences with my experience as a queer music educator is discussed as well as considerations for music educators who may seek to include electronic dance music in classroom settings.

Given that a new era of music education technology has emerged in the twenty-first century and that technology presents increased opportunities for creativity, I investigated one application of integrating technology in the classroom using GarageBand for iPad. The purpose of this case study was to examine the experiences of high school students using GarageBand for iPad in a music technology class to compose original music. Students then shared and presented their works in class during peer-review critique sessions for growth and reflection. This study was carried out in my own classroom, and I served as both teacher and researcher. Three themes emerged from my research: music and production features, thinking creatively and instructional roadblocks. Recommendations for music teachers and for future research using music technology are also included.

Recent research in music education has sought to bridge the gap between formal music-making and informal music-making done by many musicians who may have little or no formal musical training. Piano bar musicians fall under the category of musicians who may or may not have had formal musical training but are able to perform covers of a variety of pop songs for live and interactive audiences. Many of them also play multiple instruments. Participants we observed and interviewed in this qualitative study were eight piano bar musicians from various regions of the United States. Key findings include that the primary method participants used to learn songs was listening and learning by ear; ‘reading’ music took multiple forms; music theory and chord functionality were useful and allowed for flexible musicianship; and that a participatory culture was important for learning the songs the musicians chose to learn.

Review of: Music, Technology, and Education: Critical Perspectives, A. King and E. Himonides (eds) (2016)

Abingdon: Routledge, 282 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-31559-694-5, ebook, $35.96

Review of: Mixing Music: Perspective on Music Production, Russ Hepworth-Sawyer and Jay Hodgson (eds) (2017)

New York: Routledge, 286 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-13821-873-4, p/bk, AUD 100

Review of: Kick It: A Social History of the Drum Kit, Matt Brennan (2020)

New York: Oxford University Press, 371 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-19-068387-0, p/bk, $29.95