Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music ed. by Colleen Renihan, John Spilker, and Trudi Wright (review)

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Reviewed by:

• Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music ed. by Colleen Renihan, John Spilker, and Trudi Wright
• Dr. Rachel O'Connor

Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music. Edited by Colleen Renihan, John Spilker, and Trudi Wright. Foreword by William Cheng. ( Music in American Life.) Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2024. [302 p. ISBN 978-0-252-08770-7. $28 (paperback)]

Contributors: Molly M. Breckling, William A. Everett, Kate Galloway, Sara Haefeli, Eric Hung, Stephanie Jensen-Moulton, Mark Katz, Nathan A. Langfitt, Matteo Magarotto, Mary Natvig, Frederick A. Peterbark, Laura Moore Pruett, Colleen Renihan, Amanda Christina Soto, John Spilker, Reba A. Wissner, and Trudi Wright

Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music answers the urgent and overdue call for transformation in the field of music in higher education. Rooted in recognition of the historical entanglements of post-secondary music education with racist, sexist, and ableist ideologies, the contributors articulate the imperative for a caring and kind approach to pedagogy as a pathway toward social justice and equity. The authors of this volume ask us to collectively take an honest look at our field and acknowledge 'who remains absent … who feels unwelcome, unnecessary or ignored' (p. 6) and confront how certain groups have not been given the space to flourish. Drawing on William Cheng's Just Vibrations (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2016), and informed by interdisciplinary scholarship in fields such as queer studies, disability studies, and critical race theory, this volume not only critiques the pervasive hierarchies and exclusions within music education but also offers tangible frameworks and guides for enacting transformative methodologies. The adoption of Care Pedagogy is not only ethically imperative but also essential for addressing the growing mental health crises within academic institutions. Through a nuanced exploration of power dynamics, curriculum design, and classroom practices, this volume challenges conventional notions of teaching and learning in music education and advocates for a paradigm shift that prioritises the holistic wellbeing and empowerment of individuals and communities.

The volume's sixteen chapters are divided into three parts, with contributions from administrators, counselors, and faculty. 'Part I: The Heart of Curricular Interventions' features Radical Care methodology enacted through curricular design. These interventions offer a change from within familiar classroom structures and syllabi. 'Part II: Unmeasured Pedagogical Horizons' focuses on interventions that engage communities beyond the post-secondary classroom. 'Part III: Self-Care, The Root of Teaching' explores the mental health and wellness challenges inherent to studying and teaching music in post-secondary environments and how Radical Care can offer crucial support and direction for lasting change. While the volume's essays share a commitment to dismantling the 'white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy' embedded in our field, the exact frameworks, methods, and first-hand evidence are as nuanced as the perspectives that one might encounter in the classroom. Each author presents an individualised approach to care that reflects their history, circumstances, and classroom. Unfortunately, a complete description of each essayist's vibrant enactments of care is beyond the scope of this review. The myriad of perspectives presented in the volume highlight that care is not a set of specific rules and content, but a methodology shared between teachers, students, and the community within a time and place.

As interesting as the what of Radical Care is the why. Beyond providing a blueprint and [End Page 167] action plan for this new direction in pedagogy, this volume also serves as a vital resource for those looking to articulate why and how the study of music is currently inequitable and how that adversely affects students. When I conducted research as a graduate student, these questions were at the forefront of my and many colleagues' minds, but there were limited resources to consult at the time.

Care Pedagogy also acts as a form of social justice by addressing growing mental health crises among students and faculty. Nathan Langfitt's essay outlines the mental, physical, and emotional challenges inherent to studying music. He draws on his experience as a student affairs administrator and mental health professional specialising in musicians to offer productive suggestions toward greater student wellbeing. As many of the volume's authors remind us, marginalised students are likely to face additional stressors within and beyond their...