Tag Archives: participatory music education

Two participatory presentations (AMIS and in-class)

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Matthew

The recent Hong Kong unrest displaced some of my teaching, and in two instances I presented a talk in the absence of some of the students meant to be there, posting both online in a few places/formats so that students … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hong Kong street karaoke

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Matthew

[Note: Here’s a piece in the Hong Kong Free Press about the street that takes into account some of the behind the scenes licensing and political dimensions of this particular public space.] Here is an early impression of the street … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Japanese participatory music: Ukulele sing-along

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Matthew

Singing and playing together is common in Japan, and the ukulele has become quite popular here. For the third year in a row, I took part in the Ukulele Welcome Party in Toyama, Japan. It takes time to learn the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Participatory music in Japan: Preschool marching band

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Matthew

Sports day, or undōkai (運動会), is a very important for participation and group cohesion. In Japan they exist at every school, and each neighborhood also has one in which people of every age participate together. The event typically weaves together music, dance, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Participatory Music in Music Educators Journal

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Matthew

“Music Education for All through Participatory Ensembles,”  [Open access version at UF Repository here] appears in the December 2015 issue of Music Educators Journal. The article presents ideas from my immersion in participatory music—in particular from a chance to learn alongside … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Singing along in Japan

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Matthew

Singing together is an important part of life in Japan, and it is a delight to where participation is rich and frequent. Here’s a short performance I recently gave at a preschool festival. Without a rehearsal, we aimed for music … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Participatory music in Japan: Homebrew ukulele edition

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Matthew

There is a depth of community and participatory events in Japanese schooling and society, the origins of which are hinted at in T. M. Luhrmann’s Op-Ed in the Times, “Why are Some Cultures More Individualistic Than Others?” My adventures in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Profile in Illinois Alumni magazine

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Matthew

My work is profiled in the winter 2013 edition of Illinois Alumni magazine. The writer captures the essence of my approach and some notable alumni achievements. I’m also grateful for the photo. Click the image below to see a larger, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The participatory field as an alternative to musical specialization [CIC Nebraska talk]

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Matthew

I presented a talk on Tom Turino’s participatory music field and its potential for music education at the University of Nebraska’s CIC Music Education Conference on November 17, 2013. The paper explores the example of the Homebrew Ukulele Union to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Strumming and hacking music education

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Matthew

A moment of gratitude to celebrate the recent accomplishments of two wonderful former students: 1. Polly Yukevich (MME 2012) has been named Director of the Four Strings Foundation, Jake Shimabukuro’s educational outreach program (there’s a nice short piece at Guitar … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment