Genre & Genring

In this article, Ellefsen describes the verb genring as an action where we use already existing categories for understanding subjects, objects, and the relationship between them to help humans interpret and communicate with the world around us. In the context of music education, the author writes that genring is a common strategy for associating music with music and music with people. Since musical genres often have requirements and/or limitations, the concept of genre itself is exclusionary. Additionally, genre can be seen as a way of preserving certain traditions of music making in schools, contributing to a hierarchy of value in different types of music. Historically, music education has always used genre (or genring) when making decisions on what/who is taught in schools, and what/who should not be taught.

The author suggests that people understand themselves and others by identifying with certain music, musical expressions, and practices. One’s taste in music likely contributes to their social orientation or sense of belonging with friends, family, community, and other groups. In this essay, the author discusses music students who displayed a high level of musicianship in their Western classical performing ensemble, but struggled identifying as a musician when talking about popular music with their friends. The author believes that the field of music education may benefit from analyzing the concept of genre with students, and expanding to include the verb “to genre,” as well as the phenomenon genrification. Embracing this new mindset could help students and teachers understand the limitations that come with genre, and explore new relations of power and knowledge within (or outside of) genre.

The exclusionary characteristics of genre exist in many spaces of music. Rock music, blues, and rap are usually shown as male-dominated genres, potentially marginalizing female and nonbinary musicians. Other areas of music where we see genrification is in college courses (i.e. Rock History), teacher identities, professional organizations, and music education pathways. One of the first questions of identity for preservice teachers is “which are you, choir, wind, orchestra, or general music?” This practice, which is so strongly embedded in our systems of teaching, forces aspiring music teachers to fit into preexisting categories of what is acceptable in music and music education, limiting creativity in the field and possibly a sense of belonging.

Many organizations and committees centering issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion are expanding to include belonging. Oftentimes when I ask music teachers of any age why they became music teachers in the first place, they cite the feeling of belonging they experienced when they were young musicians in school. We are learning that the feeling of a belonging has a strong impact on students level of musicianship, as well as their social-emotional health. On the contrary, students who have not felt like they belonged (perhaps as a result of genrification) are not participating in school music programs. The field of music education would certainly prosper from analyzing the act of genring and normalizing genre as an act, not a finite descriptor of music. With this mindset, we can expand the feeling of belonging while also encouraging creativity from student musicians and teachers alike.