ABSTRACT: Using the concept of serious leisure as a lens, this study investigated musical engagement in a competitive Grade One Canadian Scottish Pipe Band, the 78th Fraser Highlanders, based in Burlington, Ontario. The 78th Fraser Highlanders are respected in the global piping community for their innovative arrangements and unique repertoire selection. Data was collected over a three-year period in this hybrid ethnographic case study situated in both online and offline contexts. Findings indicate correspondences with other research in the field of serious leisure studies. Themes that emerged from interviews and observation were: 1) centrality of music making, 2) social connectedness, 3) competition/fun, 4) identity and heritage, 5) group dynamics and unique band identity, 6) teaching and learning, and 7) uses of online platforms and social media.
Authors: Kari K. Veblen & Janice L. Waldron
Published 12/8/2023
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