It is well-known that relationships and different forms of communication play a major role in students’ lives because they shape their personal and social identity (Corsaro, 1997). Practising and listening to music can be equally important as they enable students to develop their self-motivation and self-expression in order to discover themselves. As a powerful force of communication and emotion, music drives the young to express themselves and at the same time interact and communicate through it (Hargreaves, 1997). It is believed that this music communication molds the relationships among them in a special way (Barrett, 2005). 

This article presents students’ perceptions of music as these were spontaneously stipulated in their oral discourse.  According to Rime (1998) speaking and expressing oneself necessitates their involvement in a process that activates representations (in Christakis, 2010). Strange as it may seem, students have difficulty defining the concept of music, since it is both an art and science and constitutes a multi-level, multidimensional and multi-faceted social phenomenon researched in a large number of disciplines.  It is this complex nature of music that urges us to explore its meaning beyond the level of sounds and the ways in which these are organized because the latter’s meaning and functions greatly depend on social conventions (Hargreaves & North, 1997). Cross (2005) points out that music is inherently ambiguous as it has the capacity to broadcast messages that can fulfil a wide array of functions (aesthetic, musical, political, social, national, religious, ritual, ecological, commercial, interpersonal, emotional, sexual, transcendental etc.) and accommodate various social needs. So, what is music according to students?

The article is based on a research approach that employs associations (Abric, 1996b) and comparatively examines students’ music representations in the context of secondary schools and music secondary schools in Athens from 2016 through to 2020. In particular, 246 students were asked to write down up to five words that spring to mind when they think of the word music. After categorizing the 1,133 words students used, it was concluded that they seem to perceive music on multiple levels, not only as an art of sounds but also as a sociocultural creation that can convey emotions, profound meanings and imagery. The findings are discussed and interpreted in relation to literature.

• Ταυτότητες και ετερότητες στη μουσική και τη μουσική εκπαίδευση

Helena Andreou is a musicologist, working as a senior education executive for music education in public education. She is a PhD candidate in the department of Communication and Media Studies researching on the topic of close interpersonal relationships, music preferences and practices. She holds a BA in Musicology and a MA in Music, Culture and Communication both from the University of Athens, as well as a Med in Modeling Design and Development of Educational Units from the University of the Aegean. Helena is a certified second level ICT teacher trainer and has extensive teaching experience in primary and secondary schools as well as model-experimental schools. As a specialist scientist-expert of IEP she has designed and developed Music Secondary school and High School curricula.