Pushing past the confines of femininity : music for women in Dunedin, 1907-1950 : a vehicle for agency, recognition and social connections

Abstract

Music is a form of self-expression, community or national culture, political voice and ethnic identity, among many other things. This dissertation examines the way that music can be a central influence to life for women, in a social structure encompassing the factors of gender and femininity, socio-economics and to a lesser extent, ethnicity. Music can provide a livelihood, form of (small) income and a way of making social connections in a sphere that can function both in and out of the home. It is also an activity where people often cross social boundaries. I have chosen to examine the extent to which music gave women agency, social acceptance and enjoyment in the Otago district from 1907 to 1950.