Musical Space, Time, and Silence in Qualitative Research

Abstract

Musical interactions heighten our senses of space and time and ways to engage in each other. In this paper, I argue that sensory data gained through musical participation helps to understand the nature of human interactions in a given culture. This paper in particular draws on my experience of negotiating musical space and time in a cross-cultural context. Participants of different cultural groups showed distinctive ways to form a space for symbolic interactions. I argue that this awareness is highlighted by musical forms. This study further suggests that qualitative researchers, especially those working in international settings, can benefit from familiarizing themselves with the aesthetic styles of the culture. Understanding these aspects of cultural sensitivity and expression thus should be part of the process of qualitative research education.