The Community Music Practitioner - MUS00009I

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Module summary

This module introduces the field of community music and its core principles of inclusivity, hospitality, and cultural democracy. It focuses on the emerging concept of 'community music pedagogy' (Higgins, 2024), exploring how community musicians approach their work across diverse contexts and settings.

Drawing on flexible and facilitative leadership models (Benson, 2017; Mather & Camlin, 2016; Veblen, 2007), a range of practitioners will demonstrate and analyse their own professional practice, providing insights into the skills, knowledge and behaviours required within their specialist areas.

Students will then select one context of community musicking to explore in depth through engagement with literature, real-world experiences (where possible), and reflection. Finally, students will analyse their own skillsets, knowledge and behaviours, producing a professional development plan for themselves in relation to their chosen context.

Students on this module must have an active musical practice of some kind (e.g. playing an instrument, singing, composing, improvising, creating sound art). Diverse ways of communicating and practising as a musician are welcome on this module, and no one genre or tradition will be prioritised over others.

Elective Pre-Requisites

These pre-requisites only apply to students taking this module as an elective.

Students on this module must have an active musical practice of some kind (e.g. playing an instrument, singing, composing, improvising, creating sound art). Diverse ways of communicating and practising as a musician are welcome on this module, and no one genre or tradition will be prioritised over others.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2026-27

Module aims

This module aims to prepare you for work within the field of community music, and/or to provide a gateway to further specialist study. You will develop awareness of community music as an academic and vocational field, including key terminology and concepts. You will focus on the role of the community music practitioner and examine the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for effective, creative and responsive facilitation across a range of contexts. You will also develop praxis-based reflective skills, combining theoretical knowledge and practical experiences with deep critical thinking and introspection. Through module sessions and your own independent research, you will develop confidence and familiarity with the requirements of a specific context of community music-making, and will build your own readiness for work in that context.

Module learning outcomes

At the end of this module, you will be able to demonstrate:

• An understanding of key terminology and underpinning principles of community music
• An ability to reflect using praxis-based approaches (combining theory, practical experiences and critical reflection)
• An understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required of community music practitioners working in a specific context
• An ability to analyse your own skillset, knowledge and behaviours in relation to the requirements of the chosen context
• An ability to create your own professional development plan to better prepare you for work in the chosen context

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100.0

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

3000 word reflective essay, exploring one context in more depth, identifying key practitioner knowledge, skills and behaviours for this context (through engagement with literature and, where possible, observation of practice), undertaking a skills audit, analysing own skill set, and developing a tangible action plan for professional development within the chosen area of practice.

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100.0

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback in line with standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

Bartleet, Brydie-Leigh, and Lee Higgins, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Community Music. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Benson, Jarlath. Working more creatively with groups, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2000.

Bolton, Gillie. Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development, 4th ed. London: SAGE, 2014.

Harrison, Klisala, Elizabeth Mackinley and Svanibor Pettan. Applied Ethnomusicology: Historical and Contemporary Approaches. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010.

Higgins, Lee. Community Music In Theory and In Practice. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Higgins, Lee, ed. International Journal of Community Music. (2007-present). https://www-ingentaconnect-com.libproxy.york.ac.uk/content/1752-6299.

Matarrasso, Francois. A Restless Art: How participation won and why it matters. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 2019.

Moser, Peter and George McKay. Community Music: a handbook. Dorset: Russell House Publishing, 2005.

Rogers, Bill, ed. How to Manage Children’s Challenging Behaviour, 2nd ed. London: SAGE, 2009.

Ross, Bernard and Clare Segal. The Influential Fundraiser. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008.

Walser, Robert, ed. The Christopher Small Reader. Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 2016.

Stevens, John. Search & Reflect. Rockschool, 2007.

Williams, Jane. Music and the Social Model. London & Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2013.

Further specialised reading will be suggested during the project.