Certain cultural practices present unspoken questions to women. While women may not be free to state these concerns upfront I argue that they have always had some means of expressing themselves in creative ways about issues that affect them. One issue that is investigated in this dissertation is the question of why women sing. This study, therefore, examines one of the channels, which are songs, that women and rural women in particular employ to deal with their day to day living. To this end I have selected cultural songs as one of the ways of demonstrating how women negotiate their spaces in the culture. The study is based on a community of women from Zwelibomvu near Pinetown, South Africa but goes beyond this as I believe that women in general speak for the majority of other women especially with regard to issues around gender and power inequalities. Songs have been selected as a genre and as a special form of expression that women in particular find easier to use to raise issues that affect them in their daily lives. The three hour DVD rendition that forms part of this study captures a synoptic view of the amount of raw data found in this study. Through the medium of song, and strengthened by the stories that they share, Zwelibomvu rural women are able to get a sense of relief and consolation from the burdens that they have and which they would like to share. Presented as a two part field work process, the first process involves the collection of songs in ceremonies and occasions and observing an d being part of the occasions and ceremonies where the songs that are sung by women are performed. This process culminates in the production of the three hour DVD rendition that forms part of this study and which captures a synoptic view of the amount of r aw data found in this dissertation. The second part mainly involves interviews of categories of respondents in similar settings/districts observed where ceremonies were attended and attempts to provide some insight into why women sing and the question of gender and power in contemporary women’s songs. Finally, the last chapters involve an analysis of songs with regard to themes that emanate from these songs as well as a review on their oral composition. / Thesis (Ph.D)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This thesis explores some of the ways in which listening to South African popular music allows individuals to enter into imaginative engagements with others in South Africa, and in so doing, negotiate their place in the social landscape. Taking as its starting point the notion of the "musical imaginary" - the web of connotational meanings arising out of the interaction between music and society, rendering it a particularly suitable medium through which to imagine social actors - it focuses specifically on the role of music in constructions of 'race' and, to a lesser extent, of 'nation'. It examines some of the ways in which dominant discourses exert pressure on what is imagined, as well as highlighting the creativity of listeners who appropriate the musical imaginary for their own ends of identification. It attempts to depict the complexity of musical identification in postapartheid South Africa, in which individuals must negotiate multiple boundaries marking difference, including categories of 'race', ethnicity, gender and class. It also investigates perceptions of the role of music in generating new identities and modes of social interaction, and offers some speculations as to how an analysis of these perceptions may contribute to current theoretical models of change in multicultural societies. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

Contemporary musicological analysis of the musical languages and aesthetics of post-Soviet states has largely avoided the effect of independence, political and social integration into the EU, and the unanticipated preponderance of sonic information and exchange on composers working and living in the Baltic States. The diffusion of composers and musicians from the Baltic States in the 1990s and 2000s, the lack of a focal point of artistic contention and backlash after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as a social and intellectual realignment toward the EU and Western Europe have all distinctly affected Baltic nations' musical identities. This research examines the development of Estonian music over the period of twenty years, 1991-2011; initially, by comparing compositional processes, musical motives, scoring, harmony, and orchestration techniques of the post-Soviet to the Soviet eras; further, by defining aspects of the native Estonian musical identity as relevant to modern classical music and analysing its integration into concert music; next, by detailing the political effects of such integration, if any, during the Soviet period and their continued relevance since independence; the so-called exodus of Estonian composers into Scandinavia and further afield, the arrival of foreign composers; finally, the social effects of internationalism and the extent of Estonian composers' and audiences' focus on distinctly national versus international traditions within the realm of concert music.

Text in English and some in Sesotho / This thesis examined how masculinity develops among the Basotho accordion music artists of the period 1980-2015 with an intention to propose the reshaping of masculinity conducive for a human society. Different factors that influence masculinity among the Basotho as represented by Basotho accordion music artists are scrutinized to find out how masculinity as a thematic aspect in the development of Basotho accordion music has been manifested over a period of thirty-five years. Psycho-masculinity is employed in the present study to find out the impact of the existing form of masculinity among the Basotho. The study concludes that the present form of masculinity among the Basotho is precarious, not only to women and to children, but also to men in their two categories: those who exhibit masculinity as well as those who do not show evidence of it. Therefore, the study recommends that the Basotho masculinity should pay attention to the limitations of masculinity in order to minimize and consequently eradicate its negative side while simultaneously promoting its positive side towards men, women and children at large. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Phil. (Language, Linguistics and Literature)

Professional Javanese gamelan musicians and the way they think about and make music have been extensively studied by ethnomusicologists. This thesis shifts the analytical focus to the experience and practice of players in 'gamelan associations' for whom music is neither their primary occupation nor main source of income. It addresses two issues: firstly, who are these musicians and what does their way of playing and conceiving of music tell us about gamelan, and secondly, what opportunities and benefits does participation in these groups afford them. The first section sets out the details and context of fourteen gamelan associations in Surakarta. It examines local terminology for different forms of musicianship, their practice in relation to factors such as recompense for playing, ability, repertoire, and training, and discusses the combination of rehearsal and social gathering which I claim is fundamental to these groups. I argue that, whilst there is significant diversity among gamelan associations and their members, they represent a unified category of musicians distinct from those who are officially employed to play and that the specific benefits they obtain from playing derive from this non-professional status. The second section sets out these benefits in five chapters, relating respectively to gamelan's implication in discourses of community at local and state level, expressions of cultural ownership, the display and negotiation of personal authority, access to power, and the production of public sound. I argue that these connections mean that participation in gamelan associations is not simply recreational but a potentially powerful way for Solonese people to create meaning and influence for themselves amidst the competing models of modernity and rapid political change of contemporary Indonesia.

MAAS / M.E.R Mathivha Centre for Languages Arts and Culture

The Story and Song Centered Pedagogy (SSCP) is a workshop that uses songs, stories and reflective questioning to increase empathy. This preliminary study tested the prediction that being exposed to the SSCP would increase empathy using, the Emotional Concern (EC) and Perspective Taking (PT) subscales of the renowned Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) (Davis, 1990). Subjects self-reported their answers to the IRI before and after undergoing the SSCP intervention. Comparing their pre and post intervention results, no statistically significant changes were noticed for the EC and PT scales (p-value = 0.7093 for EC; p-value = 0.6328 for PT). These results stand in direct tension with the anecdotal evidence gathered from 10 years of action research that shows that the SSCP impacts audiences' ability to empathize. This opens the door for additional research with more rigorous methodology and a larger sample size which will allow for more interpretative analysis. These results also probe the concern about whether the IRI is the most suitable tool to quantitatively measure the empathetic responses caused by the SSCP and evidenced by action research.

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Humanities, Department of Contemporary Music Studies, 2007. / Bibliography: p. 291-313. / Introduction -- "Back to this subculture thing": literature review and methodology -- "The crowd went berserk": dance music and club culture in Sydney and Australia -- "Once you find a groove you've got to keep it locked": the role and significance of the DJ -- "There's a great myth about that": DJ culture in Sydney -- "You're not a real DJ unless you play vinyl": technology and formats: the progression of dance music and DJ culture -- "What is underground really?": defining the structure, significance and meaning of dance culture -- "Where are they going to go next?": shifting the focus of dance music studies. / The development of contemporary, post-disco dance music and its associated culture, as representative of a (supposedly) underground, radical subculture, has been given extensive consideration within popular music studies. Significantly less attention has been given to the commercial, mainstream manifestations of this music. Furthermore, demonstrating the influence of subculture theory, existing studies of dance culture focus largely on youth-based audience participation, and as such, those who engage with dance music on a professional level have been somewhat overlooked. In an attempt to rectify these imbalances, this study examines the contemporary commercial dance music scene in Sydney, Australia, incorporating an analytical framework that revolves mainly around the work of DJs and the commercial scene they operate within.--An ethnographic methodological approach underpins the majority of this thesis, with interviews forming the main source of research material. Beginning with a discussion of the existing academic literature on dance culture and dance scenes, an historical context is subsequently established through a section that traces the development of dance culture from an underground phenomenon to a mainstream leisure activity, both within and outside Australia.--The ideas, opinions and interpretations of a selection of local DJs and other music industry practitioners who work in Sydney are central to the analysis of DJ culture herein. Issues discussed include the interaction and relationship between the DJ and their crowd, the technology and formats employed by DJs, and the DJ's multiple roles as entertainer, consumer and educator. The final part of the study gives consideration to the structure of the Sydney dance scene, in regard to the frequently used, but rarely critically analysed, terms 'underground' and 'mainstream'. The thesis concludes with a discussion that challenges the structural rigidity imposed by subcultural theory and scene-based analysis, arguing instead for a greater degree of fluidity in the theoretical approaches taken towards the study of contemporary dance music scenes. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / vi, 334 p

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts(Arts and Culture Management) 2017 / American film producer, Jason Berman reminds us that music is something the rest of the world wants to listen to; our job is to make sure they pay for it (Matzukis, 2013). When a piece of music is written, a legal right to it comes alive and is vested in the songwriter (author), but if that piece of music is later recorded, a totally different copyright vested in the record company comes alive (Matzukis, 2013). Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of local music role players, particularly composers, producers and performers, are not sufficiently equipped with legal knowledge and common understanding of the music trade’s secrets, its ecosystem or the music industry value chain. The lack of knowledge and exposure is attributed to historically manifested control of the music markets by record companies owned by foreign multinational conglomerates. As a result, a large number of famous and popular local musicians have died penniless. This scenario is painted vividly in an online article titled “Why do our artists die poor?”, which cites Brenda Fassie and Simon Mahlathini Nkabinde as examples of artists who died poor because of bad decisions they made in their career, despite their fame and wealth of music compositions. (www.you.co.za/entertainment/why-do-artists-die-poor/#) In South Africa, the major constraints on the launching of a musical career are access to trade knowledge and the means of production, such as recording facilities (Jordan, 2009).The Southern African Music Rights Organization’s empirical research shows that international music still dominates the South African music market, with 74% of music sold and played on broadcasting and public platforms (Samro, Notes, November 2014, p 13). As a result, the majority of local independent music composers, producers and performers are forced to share the remaining 26% of the music market. This situation worsens when widening the scope to include music role players who are located outside of urbanised provinces such as Gauteng and Western Cape, because most of them lack access to adequate and professional recording studios; lack basic knowledge on ownership of compositions and sound recordings rights; lack the skill to interpret the copyright laws; lack understanding of contractual issues between the artist and record company; lack understanding of the exportation trade; lack the means to submit their audiovisual works for airplay and lack adequate resources to build their brands for competitiveness. Since 2006 the South African music industry has seen an increase in government expenditure on and investment in musical institutions, at national and provincial levels, which are defined in this study as “music hubs”. In 2006, the Eastern Cape Audio Visual Centre (ECAVC) was established in East London (Eastern Cape Province); in 2009/2010, the KZN Music House was established in Durban (KwaZulu-Natal) and in 2008, the Downtown Music Hub was established in Johannesburg (Gauteng Province). The rationale to establish these music hubs is to ease access to the means of production for a large number of local music composers, producers and performers. The purpose of this impact analysis study is evaluate to what extent these music hubs are fulfilling their redress and transformation policy mandate to be beacons of hope for the local music industry. The theoretical grounds of this research study are premised on the concepts of transformation to create access for previously marginalized groups and black economic empowerment for local music role players. This research will unpack how these music hubs, in South Africa, can be used as tools for redress and to transform the music industry into an equitable market for all role players. Although government, at national and provincial level, shows commitment to establishing musical institutions that aim to combat the challenges facing the local music role players as outlined above, it is regrettable that the two music hubs (case studies) in the respective provinces are battling to position themselves as provincial music industry center pieces that create a competitive provincial music ecosystem and network to connect and empower local music industry role players. In 2009, the former minister of arts and culture, Pallo Jordan, in his speech at the launch of the Downtown Music Hub, indicated that the purpose of establishing the music hubs was to lower the barrier by making recording facilities, music manufacturing plants, music distribution channels and music stores more accessible to the most qualifying music role players (Jordan, 2009). This means that if these music hubs are understood as the music development trajectory in South Africa and well implemented, they have the potential to help local music industry role players become more competitive and perform on global music market platforms. / XL2018