MU 811

DSST 11 Music & Spirituality

This seminar explores the non-material or meta-physical aspects of participatory music making. Some argue that we are in a spiritual renaissance. Matthew Fox suggests that artistic force is a form of spiritual self-examination. He writes: “Creativity is not about painting a picture or producing an object; it is about wrestling with the demons and angels in the depths of our psyches and daring to name them, to put them where they can breathe and have place and we can look at them” (Pitman, p.169). We might say that grappling with the themes and power of great musical works evokes that same struggle. It takes us inward. Various cultural practices include ritual and music and set these apart as being sacred dimensions of life. What role does music play in this area? Where does the spiritual connect to community music and music therapy? Students are given opportunities to reflect their own research in collaborative contexts with peers and faculty.