Communities of Musical Practice

This book is the first to produce a valid and reliable in-depth study of music communities using a community of practice (CoP) framework - in this case focusing on the social process of musical learning. Employing case study research within Ireland, three illustrations from particular sociocultural, genre-specific, economic and geographical contexts are examined: an adult amateur jazz ensemble, a youth choir, and an online Irish traditional music web platform.

Ailbhe Kenny is Lecturer in Music Education at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland. She is a Fulbright Scholar, holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and publishes internationally in journals, handbooks and edited volumes on music, arts and teacher education.

Introduction Part 1: A Place for Communities of Musical Practice 1. Defining communities of musical practice 2. Investigating communities of musical practice Part 2: Illustrations of Communities of Musical Practice 3. A jazz community 4. A choral community 5. An online community Part 3: Insights from Communities of Musical Practice 6. Understanding communities of musical practice 7. Fostering communities of musical practice. References Index