Turning Social: The Social-Transformative Potential of Music Mediation(mdwPress)

How can diverse musical interactions be productively used to promote inter- and transcultural communication, support human thriving and flourishing, empower marginalised social groups, or make society as a whole more sustainable, just, and inclusive? Bringing together perspectives from research and practice, this edited volume explores how music mediation as a distinct artisticeducational practice can foster social cohesion, enable dialogue, and create new forms of engagement. The contributions critically reflect on the conditions, limitations, and potentials of music mediation in various contexts, providing insights for scholars, musicians, and practitioners working at the intersection of music and society.

About the Author :
Axel Petri-Preis (Edited by) Axel Petri-Preis is a professor of music mediation and community music at the mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He serves as deputy head of the Department of Music Education Research and Practice and chairs the curricular commission for the MA in Contemporary Arts Practice. His research and teaching focus on power-critical and discrimination-sensitive approaches to music mediation, the ethics of socially engaged musicking, new concert formats, curricular development in higher music education, and the professionalization of musicians, music mediators, and community musicians. Annette Ziegenmeyer (Edited by) Annette Ziegenmeyer is a professor of music education at the University of Music Luebeck where she also serves as head of the Center for Teacher Education (Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung). Her main areas of work and research include community music/music and social work, music in prisons and composition pedagogy (international perspectives). Beyond her active participation in music teacher education networks (for example Allianz für Lehrkräftebildung, Schleswig-Holstein; Bundesverband Musikunterricht e.V., Schleswig-Holstein) she has also set up further training in music and social work/community music and co-edits the journal Diskussion Musikpädagogik.

Review :
»This book makes a significant contribution to the field of Music Mediation research. While the first decades of reflection in this area largely focused on cultural democratisation through access to >high culture »This excellent and timely project provides new perspectives on Music Mediation and socially engaged practice. It consolidates the current landscape and catalyses contextual thinking about where this work is now - and where it might go next. Original, inspiring, and highly relevant, it raises key questions around inclusion, institutional responsibility, and the future role of musicians as lifelong learners in a world in constant flux.«-- "Prof. Sean Gregory, Guildhall School of Music and Drama London" »Turning social reveals what lies at the heart of music mediation: a passion for both the social and the artistic-aesthetic dimensions of music. It is not a matter of either-or. This gives this book a unique position in conceptualizing music mediation for an international audience.«-- "Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kertz-Welzel, Ludwig Maximilian Universität München" »A major contribution to current debates about music and social change, Turning Social fulfils two valuable roles. It explains and illustrates the concept of music mediation to an international readership, examining it from multiple perspectives and revealing its similarities and differences with domains such as community music, the social impact of making music, and social action through music. It also enshrines critical reflection at the heart of this field, making clear that music mediation is not a simple solution to contemporary social problems but rather a complex work in progress, with pitfalls to be avoided, challenges to be confronted, and skills to be deepened. Furthermore, in exploring the kinds of learning required for successful music mediation, it proposes the unlearning of certain hegemonic ideas and practices and further efforts to reform higher music education.«--Geoffrey Baker, Director of Research, Agrigento, Emeritus Professor, Royal Holloway University of London, Visiting Research Fellow, Guildhall School of Music & Drama