DJing in New York depicts the initial learning processes of a group of underground Electronic Dance Music club DJs in New York and follows them throughout a portion of their career to gain insights as to what and how these popular musicians learn, develop careers, and thrive.  



What unfolds is a story of a social process of musical learning in which DJs develop strong networks of friendship to initially learn their craft and later on to navigate the perils of nightlife and build careers. This type of situated learning is dependent upon friendships and is intrinsically linked to the dynamic context of an underground clubbing scene in New York. Enculturation in this nightlife scene, access to professional performers, and strong friendships distinguish these musical learners among popular musicians.



Because these features add a new dimension of understanding to the learning practices of popular musicians, this book is of primary interest to music educators, particularly those interested in popular music education and community music. It is also relevant to individuals interested in popular music studies, especially scholars of electronic dance music culture.

Current subcultural research into 1978–84 focuses on a London dominated by punk, post-punk, new romantics and synth-pop. In the same period, however, an explosion of revivalist subcultures took place which drew stylistic, musical and cultural inspiration from nostalgic images of the past – including rockabilly, a working-class subculture centred in North London. This article examines rockabilly as an example of this nostalgic turn in youth subcultures, exploring how and why a group of British teenagers in the late 1970s and early 1980s became nostalgically enamoured of a mythical ‘fifties’ of jukeboxes, roadside diners and rock ’n’ roll. Utilizing cultural theorist Svetlana Boym’s definition, the article examines how nostalgia is grounded in the development of a linear view of progressive time, gaining prominence in periods, such as the late 1970s and early 1980s, when that progress seems to halt or slow. By utilizing interviews conducted by the author, as well as close readings of fanzines, ephemera and the music press, the influences on this subculture are uncovered, as well as an understanding of how these influences were mirrored across other youth subcultures and culture more widely at the time. By examining rockabilly, a greater understanding of the growth of nostalgia, a force which continues to shape British society, is reached.

If Colors Could Be Heard: Narratives About Racial Identity in Music Education is a platform of, by, and for People of Color who are music educators, artists, activists, and students. For this book, we asked authors to consider their race and ethnicity as an intimate and essential part of their music learning, making, and teaching.



The narratives in this collection include tales of being a music student, stories of growing up and finding one’s place in musical worlds, and accounts of teaching students about race, ethnicity, culture, and identity. The chapters in this book are not research studies unless explicitly stated by the author.



Instead, the chapters in tandem represent a stunning mosaic with shades of melanated skin that will serve as a scholarly picture that represents a portion of music education in the United States. Here, you will find self-told stories by people from the Global Majority—a term used to describe Black, African, Asian, Brown, Latin, Dual-heritage, and Indigenous people.

As an institution, music education often inadvertently excludes diverse voices, their experiences, and a range of musical genres. This chapter confronts the urgent need for inclusion by exploring the experiences that countless marginalized individuals experience within music education. Drawing on my personal experiences as a church musician, student, and music professor and administrator, I contend that these experiences can be understood through the lens of struggles with visibility, existence, and essence. This chapter calls for a radical reimagining of music education that centers equity and belonging as fundamental to artistic excellence.

Marginalization is something others do to you and often it requires some degree of acceptance on your part to uphold this artificial human made system of categorizing. Over time, the idea of intersectionality has resonated with me on several levels. There is much focus on diversity, access, inclusion, and belonging within the field of education and music education. As an educator, musician, scholar, administrator, I have witnessed and experienced the evolution of this DEIA phenomenon from a particular vantage point. My story represents a slice of the intersection that makes up people of color. The access pipeline of access leads to what currently exists. It addresses an aspect of the issue but does not address the inherent issues within the system. Imagine a profession that was by design inclusive, equitable and accessible in ways that nurture a sense of belonging for all people.

This orientation chapter for section III challenges traditional notions of excellence in music education by spotlighting the diverse experiences of People of Color (PoC). By navigating systemic barriers and reclaiming agency, the chapter argues that excellence extends far beyond technical proficiency in music. The chapter underscores the importance of recognizing cultural identity and fostering inclusive learning environments that honor a variety of musical expressions. Through brief overviews of the included chapters, the orientation explores the complex interplay of triumph and adversity and advocates for a shift away from simplistic narratives towards a more nuanced understanding of success for PoC in music.

In 2020, I began a research study aimed at examining the lived experiences of Black undergraduate music education students in predominantly White schools of music (PWSOM). Titled, We Wear the Mask, the study sought to answer the question, ‘What does it mean to exist as a Black student in a PWSOM?’. The themes that emerged have far-reaching implications for addressing marginalization in collegiate music settings. The purpose of the study was to describe the universal essence of being a Black student in PWSOM. I described the universal essence as that of living a dissonant existence; inharmonious with inharmonious with the predominant population. This chapter, written from a researcher's perspective, describes how what began as an examination into others' lived experiences evolved into a journey of introspection and self-reflection that would affect me both personally and professionally.

This section explores the authors' personal and professional conflicts, shedding light on how they overcame obstacles, reflected on and challenged prevailing perceptions, and ultimately paved the way for a new way of teaching music. As you read through the chapters in this section, consider how these authors break the mold to amplify the concept of “forging new pathways.”

Lurking in the background of my musical upbringing was a tension between my formal, academic musical identity and my informal, household musical identity. Because of this tension, I worked hard during my time as a music teacher to implement two ideas I learned as a music-teacher-in-training: Christopher Small's (1998) “musicking” theory, which challenges people to stretch their thinking about the definition of a musician, and David Brian Williams & Rick Dammers's (2014) “the Other 80%” theory, which challenges music teachers to question why only 20% of secondary students participate in a traditional school ensemble when many more have rich musical lives outside of school. This chapter challenges PoC and non-PoC music teachers to consider the practical implications that these theories may have on the development of student musicians with diverse musical upbringings.