MANCHESTER 030210
THE MUSICAL IDENTITIES OF DANISH MUSIC THERAPY STUDENTS
1. In the music therapy training program at Aalborg University Music and Identity has been taught
as a graduate course (8. semester) since 1999. The course is based on a musical autobiography
written by each participating student, and on an interview focusing on selected musical experiences.
The purpose of the course (which I or/and prof. Even Ruud have taught) is
(1) to demonstrate the impact of personal musical experiences on the (developing) professional
identity of the novice music therapist
(2) to use this as the personal basis for a theoretical understanding of how music can be involved in
identity work
(3) to explore how music can be used in music psychotherapy with different client groups –
focusing on musical reminiscence and identity issues. (E.g. when working with elderly suffering
from dementia, with psychiatric patients or with patients in palliative care.)
This presentation will focus on the second aspect. It is work in progress, and I am still working on
the analysis, so what I present today are preliminary results.
(Publication of results: Anthologies on Music, Health, Identity / SfMH)
2. In the short time frame given here I will not go into a theoretical discussion of ”identity” as
related to personality psychology. I just want to say that my own orientation is pragmatic, and that I
have found inspiration in constructivist theory as well as in more psychodynamic and humanisticexistential theory. I find it fascinating how music can facilitate and enrich the study of identity
construction in different contexts, and how knowledge within this field can be used clinically with
all sorts of patients and clients. Prof. Even Ruud’s research in music and identity has been my
principal source of inspiration, so I will concentrate on that:
Ruud developed his theory based on a research study done with Norwegian music therapy students
on the subject «Music and Identity«. 60 music therapy students were asked to collect some of the
pieces of music which had made a significant impact upon their life. They were also asked to write
down a personal reflection, or their musical biography. Based upon qualitative research techniques
a theory of music and identity was developed. Important theoretical background was discourse
theory and narrative theory. - «Identity» is understood as a «metaphor for self-in context«, and it is
stated that music can be used and experienced in a way which positions people in relation to time
and place, to other persons or values.
Grounded theory based analysis of interviews and written reflections led to the identification of four
categories:
a) music and personal space, b) music and social space, c) the space of time and place
d) the transpersonal space. – These four superordinate categories will be presented in a few
minutes.
3. NEW DATA
The present study concentrates on data collected over the last year. Two groups of students, 13
women and 2 men with a mean age of 30 years, all in their 8th semester at AAU, wrote musical
autobiographies (they could be chronological narratives or more systematical explorations). I did
RepGrid Interviews with the same students, based on each student’s preliminary choice of 8-10
musical experiences with special personal significance.
4. METHOD – Two parts.
The musical autobiographies are analyzed using the theoretical SPACE model of Even Ruud.
RepGrid interviews are analyzed through a qualitative research methodology based on George
Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory (Kelly 1955; Abrams & Meadows 2005). I have used the
RepGrid software program, and I will introduce this briefly in a minute. But first I will give a more
detailed introduction to the use of Ruud’s method and theory.
5. METHOD (RUUD)
In relation to the category Music and personal space I ask: does the material contain examples of
musicking related to being seen, heard and recognized as a specific person (a “me”)? Is music
related to awareness of feelings and bodily sensations (self awareness)? Are there examples of
music related to mastering and achievement? Examples can be from any period in the life span.
In relation to Music and social space I look for descriptions of musicking related to social
belonging and demarcation, preferences related to social and cultural contexts and practices,
perceived identity related to sub-cultures (the un/successful search or longing for community).
In relation to The space of time and place I ask: Are there examples of specific musical
experiences regarded as markers of important events in life? (e.g. as related to transition periods or
rituals or specific events).
In relation to The transpersonal space I ask: Are the examples of experiences with music giving
the feeling of something indefinite or ineffable, including religious or spiritual experiences? (This
could also be called ’peak experiences’ or ’strong music experiences’).
(For each participant a «musical map» can be drawn, linked to his or her construction of identity by
studying the local discourses that take place around the participants’ musical practice.)
6. METHOD REPGRID
The repertory grid technique was originally developed by George Kelly (1955), progenitor of
personal construct theory, and it is now available as a free software program.….
RepGrid is designed to help explore experiences, events, processes, persons and objects in one’s life
world. The process consists of identifying elements, or various dimensions of similarity and
distinction among specific examples of a given phenomenon – in this case ‘music’s role in personal
identity’. One compares the elements according to where each fits along various constructs or
continua between contrasting elements… The process of positioning elements along construct
scales generates a single matrix known as a repertory grid, from which the term RepGrid was
derived…. Collectively, the interrelationships among all constructs and elements represent a
construction, a composite structure expressing the relative salience/significance, alignment, and
covariance among the core dimensions of the phenomenon being explored.” (Abrams & Meadows
(2007) Microanalysis p. 94f) - On the left of this slide you see an example: 11 elements – all music
experiences. The participant – in this case myself - considers selected elements exposed in triads
and is encouraged to describe how two of the elements are similar and the third element is different.
This process ends with the formulation of a construct, a polarity or continuum that should express
experienced qualities rather than descriptive characteristics. Then all elements are ranked as related
to the poles. Here on a scale from one to five, as related to the construct affirmation vs. consolation.
(You may not know all elements, but I think you’ll get the idea).
7. DISPLAY and FOCUS
As I said, the process of positioning elements along construct scales generates a single matrix - the
repertory grid - and tise grid can be presented in several modes. The display mode gives a purely
descriptive overview of the elements – listed in red from #1 to #11 – as rated to ten pairs of
constructs (You can see Affirmation vs. Consolation in the blue row #three from below. In the focus
grid the elements are analyzed for closeness and distance of constructs (as represented by the blue
lines), and elements (represented by red lines).
8. PRINGRID
This mode is sort of a graphic representation of an ANOVA analysis. In the principle component
grid elements and constructs are represented as positions in a two-dimensional map. Elements in
red, constructs in blue. The researcher may use this as departure for a new analysis of the
relationships between categories (elicited from the constructs and elements). Patterns may be
identified, as superordinate categories at a higher level of abstraction. This is done by analyzing
closely related constructs and synthesizing them into one category. I will give examples of this
later, as related to the new data..
9. RESULTS 1 (RUUD)
But first I will present some results of the analysis of musical autobiographies.
All participants give examples within the field of Music and personal space: – especially from
childhood and adolescence. Experiences are predominantly positive and related first to
parents/family, later to friends and peers. An important sub-category is experiences related to a
favourite or first instrument. This may enter a student’s life in early childhood or much later. in
adolescence.
All participants give examples within the field of Music and social space: It is very individual
whether personal or social space is predominant in the narratives. Episodes on music teaching
include many negative experiences, and the participants have interesting reflections on what these
negative exp. meant for them. Often they would stop playing or singing for years, and it would take
a radically different learning experience to bring the instrument or voice back in their life.
All participants give examples of Music in The space of time and place. These examples are often
rich and may belong to all phases in the life story - they serve as what Ruud call “identity
markers”. For some participants such core experiences have formed their course in life, while others
don’t report such experiences. Meeting the music therapy training and culture has been a pivotal
experience for almost the all students.
When we come to The transpersonal space: Only one third of the participants give examples of
peak or transpersonal experiences. Examples are mostly related to receptive experiences (like
specific concerts or recordings), but a few are also related to contemplative playing or
improvisation. - I have been wondering about this sparcity of examples… One reason may be that
this type of experience IS rare in a highly secular culture like the Danish – where religion and
spirituality plays a marginal role in most peoples’ lives. On the other hand, students report in a very
straightforward way how they use music and dance to induce altered states of consiousness, how
they use music & imagery for different purposes, and how social musicking have had powerful
influence on their self-esteem and worldview. So maybe it is more a coding problem I am facing!
Through the autobiography the narrated identity of each participant is constructed and performed.
The analysis confirms the categories identified by Ruud, and many relevant sub-categories have
been identified. For most music therapy students the narrative has been clearly influenced by their
training – a training including self-experience, free intuitive musicking and clinical improvisation.
10. RESULTS 2 (RG1)
I will now come back to the RepGrid analysis and present some examples of superordinate
dimensions (or construct groupings) identified in the material.
Participant 1’s construction of her musical identity consisted of two dimensions: (Music as) Work
(health issues) vs. (music as) Enjoyment, as distinguished from specific comfort vs. general
stimulation.
Part. 2 identified Intraversion vs. Extraversion as distinct from Inspiration by musical structure vs.
Insp. by musical freedom
Part 3 identified Thoughtfulness vs. Playfulness as distinct from Musical development vs. Personal
development
Part. 4 identified only one important dimension: namely what she called Being in music vs. Doing
in music
Two other examples was Intravert vs. extravert + personal enjoyment vs. community engagement
And Complexity & power vs. Simplicity & balance as distinct from Spontaneity vs. Interpretation
11. RESULTS 2 (RG2)
Even if each PrinGrid is unique, I have also looked for similarities and tendencies in the material.
Many of the Danish music therapy students made a clear distinction between music as a source of
personal development, i.e. listening to or playing particular music for the sake of their own health
and growth; and a necessary development of musical skills, both technical skills in their instruments
and clinical improvisation skills, as required by the curriculums and musical contexts.
This is different from the Intraversion vs. Extraversion dimension. Intraversion is not only about
personal development driven or nurtured by music: it is about opening oneself to new and unknown
qualities in the music, whether it is in a concert or in a free improvisation group; while extraversion
is not only about mastering and demonstrating musical competencies to an audience; it is more
about using the music to show who you are and what you want to express, independent of technical
level. Simplicity vs. complexity as a dimension can be related to types of music or types of
musicking. The childish qualities of straightforward musical playfulness (also in adulthood) is just
as important to these students as the engagement in dramatic, highly complex and multilayered
music experiences.
A 4th dimension found in many grids is the polarity of spontaneity and reflection. Spontaneity is
related not only to improvisation, but also to unexpected experiences of listening or dancing, while
reflection covers deep and committed work to explore and understand musical-psychological
processes and even traumas. A 5th dimension is Self vs. Community. These students underline the
importance of both belonging and contributing to social coherence AND the necessity of nourishing
the Self through music.
12. REFLECTIONS ON RESULTS
Danish MT students contribute with their musical autobiographies to the understanding of
dimensions in the construction of musical identities. The material confirms all 4 categories
identified by Ruud, even if the Transpersonal space is relatively sparsely represented in the data.
The music repertoire of the Danish students is different from the Norwegian described in Ruud’s
study, in that religious or sacred music and traditional folk music plays a minor role in the students’
narratives – as in Danish music culture in general. Classical music has come late into most of the
students’ life. Popular music genres and styles dominate.
In other ways they can be described with the words, Alinka used yesterday about her informants:
Breadth of preferences and Openmindedness. Like Alinkas informants these students also document
that preferences are in a state of flux and closely related to social interaction.
They report a strongly personal, changing and in periods difficult relationship with their first
instrument.
All participants have experienced music as a means to regulate physical and mental health. They
have used music in times of crisis and chaos in their life, and therefore they have strong beliefs in
health musicking and the therapeutic functions of music.
From a didactic point of view the value of ’musical autobiography studies’ is high: MT students get
a grounded and personal understanding of music’s potential in the construction of identity and
inspiration to work clinically with the musical life stories of their patients.
During the last year Ruud has participated in a Community Music project in Lebanon, and here is a
quote from the abstract of an article on this project: “I have earlier identified four dimensions of our
life quality, which I find relevant when it comes to the role of musicking in life. After my recent
work studying young Palestinian refugees’ musicking in Lebanon these dimensions have to do with
our vitality (emotional life, aesthetics, sensibilities, flexibilities), agency (sense of mastery and
empowerment, social recognition), belonging (network, social capital) and meaning (continuity of
tradition, transcendental values, hope). - This is a very interesting revison of the ‘4 spaces model’,
focusing on appropriations of music in different life span contexts. (-> Raymonds new book?!)
13. REFLECTIONS ON METHOD. Finally, some reflections on method in this study of M&Id.:
(a) Ruuds method: Musical autobiographies is a fairly simple, flexible and highly engaging method,
and data can be analyzed in several ways. ”Memory work” with selected music adds a sensory
dimension and many nuances to the study.
It is also possible to make a specific focus to the autobiographies. At Center for Music and Health
in Oslo we have just started a new project, inviting participants to write about (or being interviewed
about) their use of music in a health perspective, i.e. how they have used musicking to regulate
emotional, physical and mood states – and how they have used music to cope with difficult
situations in their life. [INVITATION]
(b) The RepGrid interview method is not technically demanding – and the software is free. But I
find it scientifically sophisticated, and it can be used in many other ways than illustrated here,
including quantitative studies. - The structured procedure with feedback included allows both
interviewer and participant to reflect on nuances in qualities. It makes ’personal tacit
knowledge’ explicit, and the PrinGrid ”map” brings elements and constructs together in a clear
and understandable form (The ”personal soundtrack” is transformed into a map of metaphors
and symbolic meaning).
The combination of written autobiographies and structured interviews gives a highly nuanced
insight into elements, dynamics and dimensions in the construction of musical identitites.
CLOSING REMARKS:
14. THANK YOU + References
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Abrams, B. & Meadows, T. (2005) Personal Construct Theory. In Wheeler, B. Music Therapy research
2nd Edition. Gilsum NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Abrams, B. (2007) The Use of Improvisational Assessment Profiles (IAP) and RepGrid in Microanalysis
of Clinical Music Improvisations. In Wosch, T. & Wigram, T (Eds.) Microanalysis in Music Therapy.
London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Aldridge, D. (1996) Music Therapy: From out of the Silence. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Gilbertson, S. (2006) Music therapy in early neurorehabilitation with people who have experienced
traumatic brain injury. Music Therapy Today (Online 1st October) Vol. VII (3) 662-693
Kelly, G. (1955) The psychology of personal constructs. New York: Norton
Ruud, E. (1997) Musikk og identitet.. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget
Ruud, E. (1997b) Music and Identity. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy 6(1)
Stålhammar, B. (2006) Music and Human Beings – Music and Identity. Örebro: Universitetsbiblioteket.