EXPLORING APPROACHES TO CREATIVITY AND CO-CREATION IN SOCIALLY ENGAGED MUSIC MAKING by Tuuli Elisa Wallenius

In this research I have explored approaches to creative music-making in a social context through a practical case-study and by analyzing educational approaches to socially engaged music making. I carried out and developed a concept of pedagogical practice for the context of working in a socially engaged intercultural music project. The project took place in a rural area of north-eastern Brazil.  The research shows that the improvisation-based pedagogical method that I introduced is an applicable methodology for the context. Methods of learning by ear and working with improvisation were found to be easily engaging ways to collaborate with the group. Leading the groups by using hand-signals was an applicable way of communicating with the group, which I experienced lead to a more intuitive, focused, and flowing creative process. This research states that a learner-based approach and pedagogical improvisation are key elements in working in the context of socially engaging music making.  In addition, this research clarifies and brings to light theories and methods of practice from the field by introducing current research and scholars.  With this work I hope to inspire other music educators and facilitators of socially engaged music projects to seek for ways to implement artistic work and creativity into educational work, and to be reminded of the potential that education has in combatting the social problems of our society.

WHY?

Social music projects represent a field of social practice that is rapidly developing in many countries (Pairon, 1/2021, 14:05). While I was in Brazil, the majority of all the locals I met had either experience of working in a social project, or of taking part in a social project during their childhood. I heard of incredible stories of ideas carried out in favelas all around Brazil: brass bands, choirs, orchestras, and cross-arts projects. It was eye-opening to realize how much good will and active citizenship can fit into such an economically and socially divided country that is known for one of the biggest poverty and crime rates in the world (Ryynänen, 2011, pp.21; World population review website)

The main case study in this research is based on a project that aims to offer opportunities through music for socially vulnerable children focused on aspects such as citizenship and gender equality (UFRN 2022, translated by me with the help of a dictionary). It’s situated in the rural regions of North-Eastern Brazil, where girls aged 10-15 are taught to play music. The project provides instruments (violins, violas and cellos so far) and weekly teaching to the students free of charge.

In 1975 Venezuelan Jose Antonio Abreu founded the El Sistema -project, that focuses on music making as a vehicle for social development. Since its foundation, El Sistema inspired programs have spread all around the world. (Demos (France) and Music for Reconciliation (Colombia) for example). The El Sistema program is based around Western classical and orchestral music and it offers music learning in an ensemble setting from an early age with a focus on intensive and joyful learning, that is free of charge for the participants (Sistema Europe 2017., Pairon, 2/2021, 03:00).

As the field of socially engaged music making has grown and diversified, development of training and education programs and research projects in the field has begun all around the world. For example, in Switzerland courses that bring together both social work and music departments are held in the Zürich University of the arts (Bartleet and Higgins, 2018, pp. 4).  As an example of a current research project, the SIMM platform is running a three-year research project (Music for social impact) that is a collaboration of researchers from four different countries: Colombia, Belgium, Finland and UK (Sloboda, 2019, pp. 14).

As I discovered while making this research and according to Brydie-Leigh Bartleet (Pairon, 1/2021, 19:45) the field of socially engaged music projects is diverse, and yet highly fragmented. For this reason, setting the theoretical framework for this research could have been constructed in many ways, but I decided to focus on looking into current research from the perspective of SIMM (Socially Impactful Music Making) and community music and to overlap them under the same theoretical umbrella of Socially engaged music making.

According to Bartleet and Schippers (2013) in-depth reports and evaluations on community projects are thin on the ground. Samuel Arajo (SIMM podcast episode#6) also underlines the need for reliable indicators to point out if policies of social music projects have succeeded. According to the Oxford handbook of Community music (2018), there is a need for critical reflection, exploration of the nexus between theory and practice, and reflexive research for the field of community music to be able to evolve and reach its full potential (Bartleet and Higgins, 2018, pp. 7-8). 

The researchers and practitioners in the field of socially engaging music making have broadened my understanding of the power that social education has in combatting social inequalities. According to Bartleet and Higgins (2018, pp. 7), many community music endeavors are geared towards change on an individual or social level and the field is becoming a force for social change around the world.

The societal significance, topicality, and need for international research in the field are amongst the reasons that made me want to immerse myself in this topic,and also reasons for the relevance of this written work.

PREPARATIONS

Before traveling to Brazil, I began preparing this research by reading literature on the topic, asking for advice from peers, and finding contacts in Brazil. I had experience of working in several community engagement projects in Finland, but going to work in a project on the other side of the world was going to bring new perspectives and approaches to take into consideration.

I began by searching for information about music-related social projects and community music projects to better understand the ideas and values around the topic. Websites of different organizations such as SIMM (Social impact of music making), Sound sense (UK professional association for community musicians), Playing for change foundation, Music as a global resource and JaSeSoi Ry helped me understand the concepts and values behind socially engaged music making. Based on what I had discovered, I decided that the preliminary theoretical frame for this research would be around the topics of Social education, Community music, non-formal education, creative pedagogy and collaboration. In 2018 I wrote my music education thesis on collaborative creative learning, which defined my thoughts and ideas as well.

Getting in contact with peers and colleagues was also an important part of preparing for the project. Elisa Seppänen, a musician-music pedagogue who is experienced in international socially engaged music projects, shared stories about her experiences and talked about the concepts of creative pedagogy. Learning about her experiences was a big help and encouraged me to focus on a creative approach in this research.

I traveled from Finland to Brazil with a rough plan, lots of ideas and an open mind, but came back with much more. My field trip to Brazil, participating in local social music projects and learning about the local culture, and way to live, have all changed my perspectives in many ways. This experience has given me a new understanding of the impacts of socially engaged music, and made me see and remember the potential that education and music can have in combatting social challenges of our society.

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

My name is Tuuli Wallenius, and I am a guitarist, singer-songwriter and music pedagogue from Finland. I started studying in the Global Music department at Sibelius Academy in Autumn 2018, after graduating with a master’s degree in music education from Sibelius-Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, in June 2018.

The studies in the Global music department have given me a new understanding of different cultures and new perspectives on music in general. I have found it especially valuable to have had opportunities to take part in creative intercultural collaboration, which has given me new courage, playfulness, and freedom as a musician.

These studies have also taught me many new perspectives to music pedagogy, encouraged me to develop my skills as a pedagogue and widened my understanding of the possibilities of socially engaged music making. Inspired by the community engagement work at the global music department, I decided to focus on community engagement projects in this final work.

My final work is about exploring approaches to creativity and co-creation in a social project that I took part in, in Brazil during October 2022. My role in the project was to be a music pedagogue, composer, musician, and researcher.

In this work I describe my experiences and reflect on what I learned from it in resonance with current literature and research on the topic. Inspired by Kupper’s (2018) description of the term reflexive practitioner, in this work I have especially focused on finding ways to be a musician, an artist and a facilitator with a grounded and ethical practice, the ability to be flexible, engaged and empowering, and awareness of relevant phenomena in the field and the surrounding world (Kuppers, 2018).

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