Redefining aesthetics in music educational and professional contexts: A post-human perspective on women's well-beings in music ecosystems

This paper examines how conventions, particularly those related to genre, instrumentation, and aesthetics in music education and industry ecosystems constrain the creative development of young female professionals. Education in music has historically focused on the cultivation of conventional aesthetics, contributing to the perpetuation of inequalites and hindering the creative development of young people. In this paper I explore how two young female musicians addressed these challenges and navigated their music careers to achieve critical and international acclaim. The life stories of two female musicians working in two different countries, one specializing in music production and the other in composition, are examined. Using a two-fold qualitative analytical framework, I then develop a post-humanistic model for career navigation and development within the social and professional environments with intersectional inequalities. The analytical framework and theoretical model offer ways forward to foster young professionals' growth beyond conventional aesthetics. My paper also demonstrates that this post-humanistic approach, particularly through the creation of digital and cultural assemblages, is crucial for supporting women's well-beings in music education and industry ecosystems. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research on equity and sustainability in education and career development.