This study explores the engagement with music among second-generation migrants in Sweden in connection to their cultural identity and sense of belonging. First, a theoretical frame is developed that illustrates how music practices can contribute to the creation of ‘sense of place’ and ‘sense of belonging’ and how they are linked to ‘collective memory’ and ‘cultural identity’. Consequently, it is also explained how all this can be understood from a ‘generational perspective’. A qualitative approach has been chosen for this study and semi-structured interviews with 9 emerging adults living in Sweden, were conducted. The main results show that there is a high engagement with music among second-generation migrants in Sweden, many of them possessing a broad repertoire of favorite songs and genres. Mainly, it is through listening to the music coming from the home countries of their parents that they can express and navigate their cultural identities. Such kind of music carries meanings and mediates collective experiences and memories which can be passed on from one generation to the next one. These practices are important for second-generation migrants in terms of their sense of belonging to certain groups with which they can identify and feel connected to. In this sense, such kind of music helps them make sense of themselves in the world and in connection to others.

My inquiry, centered on the applied practice of teaching, confronts the detachment that often disassociates the intellectual study of music theory from the physical experience of music. This pedagogical detachment, perceived as a split between opposing views of knowledge, privileges positivist science over interpretive art (Aróstegui, 2003), producing written competencies that have little or no musical meaning (Rogers, 2004). Endeavouring to re-attach music theory and the music it was initially intended to explain (Dirié, 2014), I constructed four Listening Guides to align with the intermediate-level theory curriculum of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Their construction incorporates elements of design research along with an underlying framework derived from the Kodály Method’s four-step instructional process. Given my multi-faceted personal/professional interactions with music theory, my research project is presented in the form of a quest narrative that weaves together my story and the stories of participant teachers who established the Listening Guides’ potential usefulness through reviewing and implementing interactions. This narrative, as a creative representation of arts-based research practices (Leavy, 2015), is derived from the blurring of specific cognitive findings and less definable aesthetic knowings (Greenwood, 2012). My data, both the prototypical data I designed and the empirical data I collected from focus group discussions with my participants, are filtered through an a/r/tographic lens that acknowledges the coexistence of my artist/researcher/teacher identities. The analysis of our aggregate narrative, as an exploration of music theory pedagogy with, about, in, and through music, relies on the evaluative tools of educational criticism (Eisner, 1991). Unfolding in a mostly linear climb, my quest for a fully integrated music/theory (art/science) pedagogy reaches its apex in the understanding that a music-logic organization confounds the subject-logic of traditional teaching approaches. Thus, my inquiry challenges the customary practices of scientific knowledge-building with a model for artistic “ways-of-knowing” in music theory pedagogy.

No description available.

This paper explores the social aspects of a new kind of mobile games where players interact with each other in a shared physical space as well as in-game. As technology spreads throughout layers of culture and everyday life, and gaming becomes increasingly widespread, we see a future in social digital games through the use of smartphones, because of their prevalence and their technical versatility. This poses new challenges for designers. By using the context of music selection in semi-public to public situations and with the help of prototypes, we explore the problems of making selections and connections in large groups as well as delivering feedback. As a result of this project we arrive at elements such as participation, competition, scalability and the importance of social interactions between participants which can be used when designing systems in similar contexts.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les outils d’enregistrement et de production musicale, les médias sociaux et les plateformes Web de vente et d’écoute de musique en ligne ont radicalement transformé l’industrie de la musique enregistrée. La baisse significative de vente d’albums et les nouveaux modèles de production, de diffusion et de promotion de la musique ont directement affecté les acteurs traditionnels comme les maisons de disques. Pendant que certains prévoyaient la fin de ces dernières au profit de l’autoproduction et de l’autopromotion, d’autres ont suggéré que les maisons de disques indépendantes pouvaient devenir des joueurs incontournables de ce nouvel environnement, pourvu qu’elles s’adaptent et développent une offre de services et une expertise répondant aux besoins réels des artistes. Ce mémoire s’intéresse à la façon dont les maisons de disques indépendantes québécoises perçoivent et utilisent les médias sociaux pour accroitre la visibilité des artistes qu’elles représentent. Dans cette étude de cas multiples, quatre maisons de disques indépendantes québécoises ont été sélectionnées. Des entretiens en profondeur ont été réalisés avec les chargés de projet Web de ces maisons de disques indépendantes afin de connaitre leur perception et leurs usages des médias sociaux, de même que les stratégies qu’ils emploient pour accroitre la visibilité des artistes qu’ils représentent sur le Web. Des données tirées d’observation des activités Web des quatre maisons de disques ont également été collectées. / During the last decade, music recording and production tools, social media, and platforms for selling and listening to music in streaming have radically transformed the industry of recorded music. The decline of album sales and new models of music production, distribution, and promotion have directly affected the traditional actors of the music industry such as record labels. While some predicted that these changes would bring an end to the records labels at the benefit of self-production and self-promotion, others suggested that independent record labels could become an essential part of this new environment, provided they adapt to it and develop new services and an expertise that meet the artists’ needs. This master thesis explores the visibility of independent Quebec music artists on the social web and the role record labels plays in it. In this multiple case study, four independent Quebec music labels were selected. In-depht interviews were conducted with the Web project managers of these music labels to discuss their perception and their usage of Web platforms, as well as the strategies they employ to increase the visibility on the Web of the artistes they represent. Observational data of the Web activities of the four music labels were also collected.

"Music in Czech Prison System" is an ethnomusicological study of the functioning of music in prison. The work focuses on the role of music in the everyday life of inmates and during the educational activities. It deals with the relationship of prisoners to music, musical activities in prison, and the approach of Czech Prison Service to musical activities. The aim of this master thesis is to present an image of the state of music and musical activities in the Czech prison system and to map out the forms in which the prison music appears, and to show what functions it has based on testimonies of convicts and prison staff. In prison, the environment of a so called total institution, people find themselves in extreme conditions that affect the wide range of their experiences. While imprisoned an inmate is faced with many changes that negatively affect the quality of his life. Research shows that music is a very important element for some prisoners, which can greatly influence their behavior and experience in prison and can compensate for their negative constraints. This master thesis attempts to capture whether and how convict's perceptions of music is different in an isolated environment as opposed to experiencing it outside the prison. What role does music play in the prison situation? And in what...

This thesis explores the role of interaction design in elevating the solitary experiences of music listening by infusing them with the joy and connection typically found in the communal music setting of parties. Drawing upon historical and cultural contexts, the research investigates how music acts as a medium for social interaction and emotional expression, from its political implications in Berlin's techno scene to its power to unite people in clubs and concerts. The project began with a focus on enhancing DJ-audience interactions and evolved into exploring how these dynamic communal experiences could inform the design of solitary listening experiences on digital platforms like Spotify. The research employs a mixed methodology combining auto-ethnography, in-depth interviews, and testing to develop and refine six interfaces that embody the joy of communal music experiences. These interfaces aim to recreate the sense of togetherness and emotional engagement often lost in solitary music consumption. The findings highlight that joy is a deeply personal and context-dependent phenomenon, influenced by the nuances of social interactions and individual emotional states. This insight guides the design of interfaces that adapt to and enhance the listener's emotional landscape. The project contributes to interaction design by challenging conventional design approaches that prioritise functionality over emotional resonance, aiming to serve as inspiration for designs that value emotions as central to the interaction experience. It also proposes future research directions focusing on the ethical implications of emotionally driven design and the potential for these interfaces to foster deeper connections in an increasingly digital world.