Performance as an Ambivalent Act: Views from the UK and Corsica

This paper considers different ways in which we might think about musical performance. Drawing examples from my research into the revival of traditional music in Corsica and the culture of contemporary community choirs in the UK, I discuss the reasons for which musicians and others might be ambivalent about the conventional model of a formal performance presented as entertainment for an audience. In particular, I address some of the problems associated with staged performances of traditional or folk music. At a theoretical level, I note the need to distinguish between stage culture and living tradition, and between presentation and participation. I consider a range of alternative models of performance, informed by ideas about performing as a way of creating social relationships and sustaining community.