Date of Award
December 2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Music
First Advisor
Whitney Mayo
Abstract
Instrumental music researchers tend to focus on non-sex-specific health topics, such as posture (e.g., Garnett et al., 2022; Rousseau et al., 2023), musculoskeletal health (e.g., Mizrahi, 2020; Pratt et al., 2020), or neurological movement disorders (e.g., Altenmüller & Jabusch, 2010; Frucht, 2009). Despite the considerable extent of topics covered in musician health, the role of menstrual health in instrumentalists is currently underdeveloped. Using a case study design (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2014), I explored the unspoken experiences of collegiate instrumental music majors who menstruate, in an investigation to better understand the role of menstrual cycles in their musicking. For four months, three participants documented their menstrual cycles and musical experiences using a diagram (Mandala Lunar, 2019) and discussed their experiences in individual and focus group interviews. The main findings discussed individual physical and psychological cyclical changes affecting music-making, negatively in the premenstrual and menstrual phases while positively in the follicular through early-luteal phases. The combination of menstrual pain (e.g., cramps, breast tenderness, or headaches) and fatigue affected comfort in engaging in technical skills, such as breath support or posture. Participants concealed menstrual-related information from instructors and peers for reasons including fearing judgment, believing it was inappropriate or impolite, or worrying about others being uncomfortable. The participants reported invisible challenges in being menstruators and music majors, such as premenstrual fatigue added to the constant busyness of their majors. The participants explored menstrual-related topics in music settings, such as feeling guilty when engaging in self-care due to perceived pressure to practice, being unable to change menstrual products while in marching band uniforms, and experiencing breast pain when using poor-quality instrument harnesses. Pedagogical implications include the need for further menstrual knowledge in instrumental music settings, prioritizing student health above performance, and implementing policies to reduce systemic difficulties experienced by menstruators in music schools.
Recommended Citation
Marques Catarin, Anne, "Cyclical Musicians: Collegiate Music Students’ Experiences Of Instrumental Musicking Processes Across The Menstrual Cycle" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 6547.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/6547