A new textbook built on an innovative framework, The Musician in Society by Boutwell and Howe comprises dozens of independent case studies in music making situated throughout historical eras and around the world. The book’s structure is defined by the complementary roles played by different people in the creation and reception of music, with each role represented by one chapter. There are eleven roles in all: the listener, the instrument maker, the teacher, the composer, the adapter, the performer, the patron, the facilitator, the influencer, the conservator, and the disseminator. Each of these roles is illustrated with eight diverse, self-standing case studies focused on individuals. Like colorful tiles combining to form a mosaic, the interlocking stories of The Musician in Society depict human beings working together to make music—close at hand and far away, long ago in history and at this very moment.
Available for class testing in 2026; for sale in 2027. Published by W. W. Norton and Company.
- To learn more about The Musician in Society, visit the the book’s promotional website.
- To receive free trial access to the e-book, click “purchase options” on the Digital Resources page for The Musician in Society and register using an .edu email address.
- The book’s authors have written about its conception and development in an essay titled “Curriculum Reform and the Musician in Society” at the Norton Learning Blog.