Ecomusicology and the potential of music and sound for environmental education

Abstract

Ecomusicology is an interdisciplinary field drawing together scholars from sciences and humanities who share a research interest in the overlapping of music, culture, and nature. Human and non-human animals constantly rely on sonic signals to relate with other animals and the environment. Considering this auditory connection, and the contribution that ecocritical music and music about places may have in nurturing a sentiment of environmental stewardship, I propose an applied environmental education methodology that relies on participatory music making and critical listening to foster environmental awareness.