The String Project, practice and research: Experimenting with a multi-skill intergenerational model for ensemble instrumental playing

This paper discusses the results of a design-based research project undertaken by the Music Engagement Program in 2013 called The String Project. The project developed a radically different model for intergenerational community instrumental ensemble playing in collaboration with its users in order to provide a model for community involvement that might be replicable at other institutions. The project sought to overcome the inconsistencies, or dissonances, between various forms of elite music provision and the needs and wishes of the many. The education design research used a mixed-method, multi-media approach to collect qualitative and quantitative data for analysis, develop practical materials, and provide film evidence for teaching purposes, as well as a short, released documentary film. This paper discusses the theoretical background to the project, the aim of the work, the methods employed, a summary of main ideas and implications for music education and future research. The principal finding was that, within a group model emphasising social-participatory engagement, individuals of all ages can cultivate unique musical pathways that are fulfilling at a range of social and musical levels. The main question is how to find ways of continuing such instrumental engagement without onerous cost burdens.