Healthy musical identities and new virtuosities: a humble manifesto for music education research

Abstract

This paper presents a new conceptualisation of musicality via a framework called New Musical Virtuosities for Healthy Musical Identities. The development of healthy musical identities is proposed as a key aim for music education. Musicking for healthy musical identities is approached as holistic and inclusive, highlighting the integration of social and creative interactions in the concept of musical virtuosity. Implications and examples of the new virtuosity framework for research and practice are discussed, including perspectives on diversification, decolonisation, and widening participation. The paper emphasises “humble” to foreground a fluid interdisciplinary debate, while also stressing the importance of these proposals in the form of a manifesto.