Terminologia general de la gestión del riesgo de desastres

Comparisons of musical identities across genres have tended to focus on characteristics associated with different role identities, particularly musicians identifying with classical, jazz, popular, and folk styles. Such studies have found that classical musicians focus more on solitary practice, mastering technical skills, and learning new musical works than jazz musicians, who utilise both solitary and group practice, and are more likely to improve their approach through observing and actively listening to other musicians (Gruber, Degner, & Lehmann, 2004). When further non-classical genres are considered, classical musicians emerge as more likely to value notation-reading skills and drive to excel, both musically and technically, than other-than- classical musicians, who generally value non-notation-related skills, such as memorising and improvising, more highly (Creech, Papageorgi, Duffy, Morton, Hadden, et al., 2008).

The observation that musicians value and emphasise different skills and approaches according to genre invites the hypothesis that musical identities will differ across genres. Further, aspects of musical performance which are similar across genres may be perceived and interpreted

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differently according to musical identities. Welch, Papageorgi, Hadden, Creech, Morton et al. (2008) investigated relationships between student and professional musicians’ attitudes and approaches to learning, gender, and genre. They administered questionnaires to 244 undergraduate and postgraduate musicians who performed in classical, jazz, popular, or Scottish- traditional genres, and supplemented this data with case-study interviews conducted with 27 of the participants. Welch et al. found many similarities between the musical identities of the participants, irrespective of genre. All attributed high importance to the organisation of practice and the development of musical skills, and all saw being a musician as a significant part of their self-concept. That said, there were significant differences associated with gender and approaches to learning, which were not genre-related. Welch et al. concluded that individual differences were more important to musical learning than genre-affiliation.

In spite of overall similarities between musical identities across genres, Welch et al. (2008) did identify some important differences. Classical participants reported higher self-efficacy and perceived levels of expertise. Welch et al. surmised that such differences in self-efficacy may arise from tendencies of other-than-classical musicians to compare their performance with the ‘greats’ in their field, and to aspire to emulate their entire style. When classical musicians discussed established and respected performers, they focused on specific details of performance, and adopted or discarded individual aspects according to their judgement of what was ‘good’. This can be interpreted as a positive use of atomisation (see 2.3.3.2), in which segmenting performance allowed for critical evaluation of its component parts, and supported a sense of control over which parts could and should be emulated.

The findings of a study investigating the genre-related views of 165 tertiary students apparently conflict with Welch et al’s results regarding self-efficacy (Hewitt, 2009). The participants in Hewitt’s study were primarily affiliated with either classical, Scottish traditional, jazz or

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pop/rock. They completed questionnaires measuring self- and task-theories: self-theories were identified through responses which reflected participants’ beliefs about themselves as musicians, while task-theories were defined as participant beliefs about what is important in producing and defining a successful performance. Hewitt identified six principal viewpoints which captured different perspectives on effort; importance of elements such as audiences, musical expression, and technical perfection; and responses to poor performance and tutor input. Classical musicians were most strongly associated with viewpoints in which technical competence and preparation was central. Poor performance had a significant impact on how these participants saw themselves, indicating strong identification with high performance standards. In addition, this group reported lower confidence levels as performers than other groups, as well as sensitivity to tutor input.

It is interesting to compare Hewitt’s (2009) finding that self-efficacy for performance was lower among classical musicians than other-than classical and Welch et al’s (2008) finding that self- efficacy and perceptions of expertise were higher among classical musicians. These different findings are not necessarily conflicting, but possibly reflect measurement of musical identities in different contexts, with different emphases, and with different cohorts. Hewitt’s focus was on performance among undergraduate students; Welch et al. were oriented towards learning and general self-views of musicians from both student and professional backgrounds.

The fact that different emphases can provoke such disparate results illustrates the complexity of nuance within identities according to experience and situation, including to which aspects of being a musician a participant is paying attention. Neither study reported on whether participants were aware that their genre-affiliation was being compared to others, but in light of tendencies for group identities to be dominant when activated, this factor could be expected to shape perceptions (Stets & Burke, 2000). It is also likely that participant awareness of research

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goals, particularly those relating to self-views, will influence which identities are activated, and which associated beliefs and perceptions are reported. These factors suggest that it is useful for identity studies to consist of qualitative data (at least in part), which can examine the detail of individual interpretation and perception, and to maintain limited participant awareness of the goals of the study.

The examination of musical identities across genres has produced valuable insight into elements which are important to individuals working in each area. In general, classical musicians appear to identify with high performance standards; good preparation of and competence in technical and musical aspects of performance; and an evaluative, critical approach to their own and others’ performance. In order to extend this research, the present study aims to explore musical identities in the context of HIP: a genre which has its roots in Western classical music, but which has developed as a reaction to traditional approaches of musical interpretation, performance, and pedagogy. HIP questions and challenges the musical identities of classical musicians, and can thus be expected to provide insights into both perceptions and behaviours associated with learning, development, and performance.