JOURNAL ARTICLE

Meaningfulness in DIY/DIWO music making and learning: A duoethnographic exploration of a rock band and a high school choir.

  • Published In: DIY, Alternative Cultures & Society, 2025, v. 3, n. 1. P. 50 1 of 3

  • Database: Sociology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Smith, Gareth Dylan; Lee, Austina Frances 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines meaningfulness in do-it-yourself/do-it-with-others (DIY/DIWO) music practices through a duoethnographic study of an independent UK rock band recording the album *Heart Radar* and a US high school choir led by a teacher fostering DIY/DIWO pedagogy. The authors explore how themes of fun, fulfillment, friendship, and familiality underpin authentic connections among musicians and learners, contrasting these collaborative, relational experiences with more competitive, standardized music education norms in the US. Findings suggest that DIY/DIWO dispositions promote intimate, sustained relationships and meaningful engagement in music making and learning, offering alternative cultural models that emphasize human connection over commercial or institutional metrics. The study highlights the potential of DIY/DIWO approaches to enrich arts education by nurturing vulnerability, creativity, and community among participants.

Additional Information

  • Source:DIY, Alternative Cultures & Society. 2025/04, Vol. 3, Issue 1, p50
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Music
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2753-8702
  • DOI:10.1177/27538702241311945
  • Accession Number:185811885
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