Listening to Decatur: Musical ethnography in an Illinois city, 1992--1997

Listening to Decatur: Musical Ethnography in an Illinois City, 1992--97 explores values, organization, stratification, and coherence in the musical lives of individuals and institutions in Decatur, a small city in central Illinois. Individual chapters are devoted to the various forms of participation in local musical culture, to the maintenance of a ritual musical/holiday calendar, to the establishment of a unique local festival, and to the personal statements of a number of local musicians. Of particular interest are the patterns of participation in musical culture, the factors shaping participation and non-participation, and the ways in which societal expectations are communicated. The relevance of age and context in determining appropriate forms of participation is investigated. The history and enactment of the Decatur Celebration, and the particular roles of music within that festival, are explored.