Musicking Grieving by Reverend Professor June Boyce-Tillman

This presentation looks at the use of music in the process of grieving both before, during and after the funeral. Various ways of musicking are appearing in relation to approaching death, the process of dying and rituals of memorialisation. The presentation is based on the premise that grief is best expressed, and music has particular characteristics that facilitate this. This can be particularly relevant in the area of meaning-making in mourning where musicking may be becoming an atheist spirituality, providing the useful functions of religion - community creation and support in suffering. An exploration of the quality-of-life in the musicking experiences of older adults reveals enhancement in the areas of spirituality, relationships, health perception, meaningfulness, autonomy, a sense of purpose or involvement in the community.

The presentation examines the process of grieving in funeral traditions of various kinds such as keening. There is a current resistance to mourning and an abandonment of rituals, but various theorists of grieving have emphasised the need for a relationship with the dead.  The presentation reflects on case studies using performing, composing and listening.  This will also include reflections on the shift from communal hymn singing at funerals to musical material with extrinsic meaning associated with the dead such as ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ and ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’.

Presenter biography

The Reverend Professor June Boyce-Tillman MBE is an international performer, composer, workshop leader and keynote speaker.  She is an Emerita Professor of Applied Music at Winchester University UK, and an Extra-ordinary Professor at North West University, South Africa. She has taught in primary and secondary schools and higher education. Her doctoral research into children’s musical development has been translated into five languages. She has held visiting fellowships in the US. Her large scale works for cathedrals involve professional musicians, community choirs, people with disabilities and school children. She is concerned with wellbeing, eudaimonia, spirituality, education and radical musical inclusion culturally and personally. She is editing the series on Music and Spirituality for Peter Lang which includes her book, Experiencing Music-Restoring the Spiritual; Music as Wellbeing. She founded MSW – Music, Spirituality and Wellbeing – an international network sharing expertise and experience in this area.  She is an Anglican priest.

Bookings and information

Places are limited to 40 in-person and 100 online participants.  Registration will close on Thursday 9 October 2025 at midnight.  In-person tickets include tea/coffee. 

If you have any questions you can contact us via email: arts@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

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