Irish music in Wellington : a study of a local music community : a thesis submitted for the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Musicology, New Zealand School of Music, Wellington, New Zealand
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Date
2010
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Massey University
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Abstract
The Irish session is a musical, social and cultural experience that has emerged from
international popularisation and globalisation. In New Zealand today, communities of
Irish music enthusiasts maintain links to an international arena, and the session is
valued as a context for musical enjoyment and the affirmation of Irish identity.
Throughout my research I immersed myself in Wellington’s vibrant Irish music scene
with fieldwork techniques that included participant observation, sound recordings,
and performance. The major part of this study took place in two local Wellington
pubs - Molly Malone’s and Kitty O’Shea’s – but I also observed sessions in other
New Zealand cities and in Ireland. The similarities and differences between the two
Wellington sessions were examined in detail and my research included extensive
interviews with the participants. In addition to exploring Irish sessions in the context
of two Wellington pubs, this thesis explores session instrumentation and repertoire,
and aspects of cultural identity that include the participant’s experiences with Irish
music. This thesis also examines how individual session members actively contribute
and link their musical training and background to a transnational Irish music
community. By studying the individual and musical identities of those actively
involved in the community, this thesis reveals that Irish music in Wellington is an
active and dynamic scene made up of enthusiasts with a variety of musical and
cultural backgrounds. With music as its heart, the Wellington session community, is
simultaneously localised in New Zealand but extends outward and connects with Irish
communities globally.
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Keywords
Irish music, Wellington