Sound links: Harmonizing research with community music practice

Abstract

Community music is a vibrant and widespread phenomenon in Australia, enriching the lives of millions of people across the country. Over the past two years, the Sound Links project has researched the dynamics of community music in Australia, and the models it represents for music learning and teaching in formal and informal settings. Through a close examination of six diverse case studies, and a nation-wide online survey, Sound Links has uncovered a revealing picture of musical activity, which up until now has hardly been visible outside the circles of its participants. This paper gives a global overview of the Sound Links research findings, drawing on significant insights from the case studies. In doing so, it models solutions to a range of issues that arise when undertaking research into community music practice. These include the development of an appropriate methodological design that facilitates a detailed representation of community music practice, the creation of dynamic research collaborations between researchers and community music workers, and the communication of results in a way that positively impacts on the provision of community music activities. As such, this paper directly addresses the CMA Seminar Strand: Research - Examining Community Music.