Tag Archives: participatory music

Participatory Music in Japan (Orff Echo and Multimedia Journal of Music Education)

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Matthew

The Orff Echo recently published a short reflection I wrote on participatory music experiences from my family’s time in Japan (2014-17). I negotiated the right to post the final piece on my university’s scholarly repository, and so anyone can now … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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Hacking a karaoke club for a New Year’s Jam

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Matthew

Who doesn’t love karaoke? During my latest visit to a karaoke club in Tokyo the TV was off, the microphones were left in their holders, and the disco ball did not spin. Instead, a group of friends who all play American 0ld-time … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Ukulele with Patch Adams: participatory music in action

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Matthew

I only now am finding time to note, in brief, a wonderful exchange I had last summer with the physician/activist/clown Patch Adams. A friend had given Patch the gift of a tie-dye patterned ukulele and asked me to help him … Continue reading →

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