Listening in Action ─ Teaching Music in the Digital Age

In an age when students come to class with more varied music listening preferences and tastes than ever before, music educators often find themselves at a loss for how to connect with their students. This book provides the beginnings of a solution to this problem by characterizing studentsa€? contemporary music listening experiences as they are mediated by MP3 player music listening technologies. Several key components of the MP3 player music listening experience are described in the book, including: the relationship between MP3 player music listening and listenersa€? engagements with other activities, listener agency in creating playlists and listening experiences, and adolescent identity and development in relationship to the agency afforded by the MP3 player. The book provides an introduction to scholarship on music listening across the disciplines of musicology, ethnomusicology, sociology of music, psychology of music, and music education. By reading this book music educators can gain an understanding of cutting-edge theories of music listening in everyday life. A step-by-step guide for how to apply these theories within the classroom will help teachers connect with students who, on a daily basis, encounter a technology-rich, post-performance world of music.

Rebecca Rinsema is Lecturer of Music in General Studies at Northern Arizona University. She teaches blended music courses utilizing both online and face-to-face modes of interaction. Her courses are geared toward students focusing their studies on a variety of disciplines. She is also a singer specializing in the performance of early music.