Structure and agency in university-level recreational music making

The purposes of this study were to investigate the musical backgrounds, self-expressed reasons for participation and possible implications for music education of collegiate recreational music makers (N=19) and their practices as they exist in two contrasting modes of musical engagement on the campus of a large urban research university: authority-led and student-led. Utilising the work of Pierre Bourdieu together with theories of leisure and participation I examine (1) relations of class as they exist in on-campus recreational ensembles and (2) reflexivity related to self-expressed reasons for participation. Analysis suggests that authority-led and student-led distinctions do not adequately account for recreational practices, and that recreational music makers are largely unaware that they share similar privileged backgrounds. Implications for music education are discussed.