Introduction

Abstract

This chapter outlines the value of music as a humanities discipline and presents an overview of the structure and central themes of Music and Human Flourishing. Participating in music, either as a performer, listener, and/or composer has long been accepted as an activity that can contribute to human flourishing. This chapter describes a fourth musical activity, the act of music scholarship, and reveals how engagement with the cultural, social, and political practices surrounding music contributes to human flourishing in a way that listening, performing, and even composing alone cannot. Using the concepts of contemplation, critique, and communication, the author explores the various ways that music scholarship can serve as a tool for instilling a sense of social justice and cultural understanding. Music scholarship helps listeners understand and better communicate the emotional and psychological characteristics associated with music. It opens minds, which in turn can contribute to human flourishing.