{"id":2262,"date":"2021-07-26T14:54:24","date_gmt":"2021-07-26T13:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=2262"},"modified":"2025-03-21T16:44:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T16:44:10","slug":"student-spotlight-marion-smith-musm-music-ethnomusicology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2021\/07\/26\/student-spotlight-marion-smith-musm-music-ethnomusicology\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Spotlight: Marion Smith – MusM Music (Ethnomusicology)"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.0.106″ title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”on” featured_image=”on” featured_placement=”above” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_layout=”light” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n

Marion Smith, a student of MusM Music (Ethnomusicology) shares with us some insights into her time at Manchester.<\/p>\n

Why did you choose to study this master\u2019s course at\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0University of Manchester<\/span>?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I had really enjoyed studying Music in my undergrad, and I was particularly interested in the ethnomusicological things I had learnt \u2013 this was a discipline that I had never encountered before I started my\u00a0<\/span>MusB<\/span>. In my final year I just felt that\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019d<\/span>\u00a0only scratched the surface of the topics I was studying, and I wanted to stay on longer<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 I felt there was so much more for me to learn.<\/span>\u00a0At the time I was weighing up whether I wanted to do a Masters in Musicology or Ethnomusicology, and ultimately decided that Ethnomusicology was the more appropriate choic<\/span>e, as I\u00a0<\/span>didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0want to approach the music I was studying through a\u00a0<\/span>predominantly\u00a0<\/span>Eurocentric\u00a0<\/span>framework.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How much time do you spend in classes and private study?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

My Master\u2019s is part-time, so as well as regular dissertation supervisions,\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0had roughly one taught module per semester over the last two years- this amounted to around three or four hours a week of class time, plus any modules I was auditing.\u00a0<\/span>I work alongside my degree in a residential job as a freelance researcher and musician, and d<\/span>oing a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>part time\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has made it significantly\u00a0<\/span>easier to balance my jobs and my studies \u2013 on average, I would spend around half of my working week on my Master\u2019s work.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What has been the highlight of your course so far?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0found the dynamics of lots of my classes to be very enjoyable \u2013 the modules I\u2019ve taken that are specific to ethnomusicology have had under 10 class members, which has meant we\u2019ve been able to have very in-depth\u00a0<\/span>conversations and debates, and that we\u2019ve been able to draw specific focus to the things that we\u2019re individually interested in.\u00a0<\/span>These classes have provided\u00a0<\/span>a really encouraging<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and interesting foundation for beginning my ethnomusicological research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0also been able to take free choice modules outside of my academic department, such as modules\u00a0<\/span>in gender and sexuality studies, and I\u2019ve really enjoyed being able to apply\u00a0<\/span>things<\/span>\u00a0I\u2019ve learned\u00a0<\/span>in these classes\u00a0<\/span>to my work in Ethnomusicology.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What has been the most challenging part of your course so far?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m\u00a0<\/span>sure I\u2019m<\/span>\u00a0not alone in\u00a0<\/span>feeling\u00a0<\/span>this,\u00a0<\/span>but working on a\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0degree during a pandemic has presented considerable challenges.\u00a0<\/span>When\u00a0<\/span>you\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0in the face of a pandemic, going about your day\u00a0<\/span>in isolation\u00a0<\/span>working towards essay deadlines becomes a strange way to spend your time<\/span>, but\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019m really glad I\u2019ve been able to work through this ch<\/span>allenge.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you undertaken any fieldwork as part of your course?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Fieldwork plays a significant role in ethnomusicological research, and<\/span>\u00a0my dissertation project\u00a0<\/span>has a fieldwork component \u2013\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019m<\/span>\u00a0exploring the role that music has on the Manchester drag scene, and I\u2019m conducting interviews with\u00a0<\/span>drag artists in and around Manchester on their drag and musical identities. As this has taken place during the pandemic,\u00a0<\/span>the majority of<\/span>\u00a0this fieldwork takes place online \u2013 I\u2019m conducting interviews with participants over zoom, and<\/span>\u00a0the participant observation I\u2019ve been doing has become a study of Manchester\u2019s virtual drag spaces as\u00a0<\/span>entertainment has had to move online.\u00a0<\/span>Although this fieldwork has looks very different to how I first imagined it at the beginning of my Master\u2019s, I\u2019ve\u00a0<\/span>not only been able to adapt my fieldwork\u00a0<\/span>in these unexpected\u00a0<\/span>circumstances, but<\/span>\u00a0incorporate my own experience of\u00a0<\/span>e-fieldwork during the pandemic into my project as a form of autoethnography.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How would you describe your student experience so far?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I\u2019d<\/span>\u00a0describe my student experience as\u00a0<\/span>a welcome and enjoyable challenge. I<\/span>\u2019ve found\u00a0<\/span>my\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0more enjoyable than my undergrad, more so because I\u2019ve\u00a0<\/span>had more freedom to explore the areas of study I\u2019m most interested in, an<\/span>d\u00a0<\/span>studying part time has\u00a0<\/span>made my schedule<\/span>\u00a0of work versus\u00a0<\/span>academia<\/span>\u00a0far more manageable<\/span>. I feel like this time working on my\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0has\u00a0<\/span>allowed me to\u00a0<\/span>work as both a student and a graduate freelancer, which has been really invaluable.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the best thing about living and studying in the city of Manchester?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0really nowhere else in the UK I\u2019d rather be living. T<\/span>here\u2019s just so much going on in Manchester when it comes to arts and culture.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0also a lot cheaper to live in than other large cities in the UK, which helps.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What kind of accommodation do you live in?\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

During my\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0I\u2019ve worked as a\u00a0<\/span>ResLife<\/span>\u00a0Advisor in student halls<\/span>\u00a0of residence<\/span>, which\u00a0<\/span>means that I<\/span>\u2019m the first port of contact for students in my hall if they\u2019re experiencing any\u00a0<\/span>problems<\/span>– in return for working in this role, RLAs live in the halls of residence free of charge.\u00a0<\/span>Living in halls as a student can be\u00a0<\/span>really beneficial<\/span>\u00a0if you<\/span>\u2019re looking for a greater sense of\u00a0<\/span>student\u00a0<\/span>community in where you live, and it can be\u00a0<\/span>very handy to have most of the services you need onsite.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you involved in any extracurricular activities?\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Alongside my degree\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0also been involved\u00a0<\/span>in a climate activism organisation that focuses on local environmentalism and aims to hold institutions in Manchester\u00a0<\/span>such as the City Council accountable for their (in)action on climate change. Aside from this being fulfilling work as\u00a0<\/span>it\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0a cause I feel very strongly about,\u00a0<\/span>my involvement has enabled to develop\u00a0<\/span>lots of\u00a0<\/span>new skills\u00a0<\/span>and forge so many new connections in both climate spheres and cultural sectors in Manchester \u2013 this work has led me to write, edit and design a handbook on climate change directed at students, which is\u00a0<\/span>absolutely not something I thought I would do in my time here!\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019d<\/span>\u00a0really recommend that students consider\u00a0<\/span>doing some volunteering around an area of change they\u00a0<\/span>feel strongly about, because the work you do can take you to some very unexpected places.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you ha<\/span>ve any tips for future students?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The main advice I have is t<\/span>o be open to lots of different\u00a0<\/span>opportunities, because<\/span>\u00a0you really don\u2019t know what things might spark your interest and what new things you might learn. I feel like a very different person from when I started my\u00a0<\/span>Master\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0two years ago, and a lot of that is to with the activities and communities I\u2019ve been involved with during my time studying.\u00a0<\/span>The same goes for exploring Manchester \u2013<\/span>there\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0really something for everyone living in a city like this, and it<\/span>\u2019s really important to explore Manchester outside of the Oxford Road corridor!\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ve also found a really good way to\u00a0<\/span>relieve some stress if you\u2019re overwhelmed with your workload is to get out of the city\u00a0<\/span>and into Manchester\u2019s surrounding countryside \u2013 y<\/span>ou can find some really lovely walking trails via a\u00a0<\/span>30 minute<\/span>\u00a0train ride out of Manchester, and it\u2019s a really good way to get out of your head if you\u2019re stressed.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are your plans for life after graduation?\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I\u2019m<\/span>\u00a0really interested in studying for a PhD,\u00a0<\/span>although I\u2019m planning on\u00a0<\/span>taking a break\u00a0<\/span>for a little while beforehand.\u00a0<\/span>I already\u00a0<\/span>do freelance music and research work, and\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019ll<\/span>\u00a0be looking for more\u00a0<\/span>jobs<\/span>\u00a0after I graduate \u2013<\/span>\u00a0I\u2019m really interested in jobs that\u00a0<\/span>are working to make arts and culture more accessible<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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