I attended Professor Higgins graduate lecture due to time conflicts. His lecture discussed the the matter of contemporary community music practices, ideas, and understanding. He begins his talk with a general background of his music experience and how he grew up to understand what community music is. As he traveled the world, he began to open his eyes and realize that his idea of community music is only one of a vast variety of the concept. He was so absorbed by what he believed to be the only form of community music, he failed to let himself see the possibilities of music. Community music can be witnessed in countries all over the world, whether it is using the scrap materials in their area to make instruments, or starting a school to introduce music making groups, or even just playing together. Community music cannot be simply defined by one thing, because community music itself is describes something that consist of more than one. I think Professor Higgins was trying to get he point around that music is such a vast and powerful thing, and just as there are more than one genre of music, there is more than one way to go about with community music. He defines community music with five things: People, place, participation, inclusivity, and diversity. I think these are perfect ways to define the cores of community music are. Without people who want to make music, there would be no community, without a place to gather people and to inspire them, no one would be brave enough to do participate, and if it isn't inclusive or diverse, then we lose the sense of community. Community music is not only about music, but bringing people together. I really enjoyed Professor Higgins lecture cause it opened up the idea of what community music is and how we can apply to our own community.
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