Transnational Musicians: Precariousness, Ethnicity and Gender in the Creative Industry

Transnational Musicians examines how Japanese musicians build their careers in the classical music world, considering transnational mobility, ethnicity, race, gender, postcolonialism, and Japanese studies. It explores the opportunities and constraints faced by these musicians, who strive to conciliate their professional identification with the dominant image of 'rootless classical musicianship' while maintaining their ethnocultural affiliation with Japan. The book critically engages with the neoliberal discourse on talent and meritocracy in the creative/cultural industry and offers insights into migration, transnational mobility, ethnicity and race in the creative/cultural sector.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Transnational Musicians delves into the intricate world of Japanese musicians who navigate their careers across borders, drawing upon a diverse range of theories such as transnational mobility, ethnicity and race, gender, postcolonialism, and Japanese studies. Through extensive fieldwork and in-depth interviews with artists in Japan, France, and Poland, this study uncovers the multifaceted opportunities and challenges faced by these musicians as they strive to establish themselves in the hierarchical classical music realm.

The book portrays the structural and individual factors that shape the career paths of transnational classical musicians, highlighting how they navigate the conflicting demands of professional identification with the dominant image of "rootless classical musicianship" and their ethnocultural affiliation with Japan. It critically engages with the neoliberal discourse prevalent in the creative/cultural industry, which perpetuates the notion of cosmopolitan artists with high, universal skills capable of operating internationally, regardless of prescriptive criteria like gender, ethnicity, and race.

This highly interdisciplinary work appeals to students and researchers interested in migration, transnational mobility, ethnicity and race in the creative/cultural sector, gender studies, Japanese culture, and related social issues. It also provides valuable insights for professionals in the classical music industry and passionate readers who are intrigued by Japanese society.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 234 x 154 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367692001