One strand of discussion was about the participation of adolescents in dance. Whether the fall off during early teenage years was due to peer pressure, reigning in societal norms. Well, since music is an absolute sausage fest anyway, societal norms are still almost never broken. Women participate in music largely as singers, or playing the gender appropriate instruments such as keyboard, saxophone, violin and guitar. No eyebrows are ever raised at female keyboard players. With the other instruments, it's more unusual. Once a female musician steps outside the 'appropriate' instruments, the numbers drop off rapidly. Female vocalists aren't especially unusual, but are often ruthlessly critiqued. When I teach, women are almost never anything but vocalists. And, just last week when doing an experimental spoken word improvisation, a woman tried drumming, but was moved off immediately for the next piece. The man who replaced her wasn't even better than me, but it was the first time he'd participated, so was left in situ. I have so often been the only woman on the bill, or one of two or three on the tourbus, I don't even notice anymore. Bizarre, since I started in an all female band.
I normally write my post Skype blog when the impressions are new and strong. This time, I had to wait for the impressions to die off a bit, so I could find something positive and relevant to say.
Onwards and upwards
Hi Rhoda, I find it so interesting to read the blogs, after Skype discussion, its fascinating how each person has such an unique take on the discussion. Great to read your blog. I've never thought about instruments as being gender associated before, but now that I think about it, it really resonates with me. Its amazing how the roots of those gender issues go deep, images you see, stories you hear etc., frame works and stories, that we have become so accustomed to, that we have internalised them as our reality and don't even realise it is just a story, that some one has started to tell at some point and we keep on telling it, without questioning it and by retelling it keeping the story alive. Its amazing how you can be very aware of gender (or any separation/clasisfication) issue in your own field, but quite blind in other areas. We talk a lot about the importance of theories, but actually stories can be very powerful, maybe even more so than theories. Maybe the frame works can be changed by stories or maybe the stories are our frame work. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhoda, I also sing and teach singing so it was nice to read your blog from a musician’s perspective. As you know I struggled at first with the framework and theory maybe as singers the framework is the musical theatre and the theories are the genres, styles and composers. Singing will always be my first love nice, to read a non dancey blog. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Rhoda! I ran into this while doing my own research and thought of you:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbbVWrGNs4
I was thinking of your own exploration of frameworks and theory. I enjoyed learning a little bit about this!
Thank you, Marianella!
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