Egotism, Elitism, and the Ethics of Musical Humility

Blending philosophy, empirical research, and pop culture references, Egotism, Elitism, and the Ethics of Musical Humility takes a penetrating look at how our striving for individual achievement can lead us to grow disconnected from one another-and how humility can help us restore our common humanity. In exploring the dangers of egotism and inadequacy in our musical lives, Coppola unpacks how institutional and systemic structures like racial oppression, gender inequity, and the neoliberal drive for continual growth and achievement perpetuate ideologies of elitism and exclusion. By reframing our understanding of ethical responsibility as a collective rather than an individual concern, the book offers musical humility as an empowering virtue in which we are driven to uplift ourselves and others to celebrate our shared humanity and artistic dignity. By embracing musical humility, musicians, educators, and scholars can contribute to social change efforts by fostering honest self-reflection, facilitating meaningful dialogue, and embracing the ethical tensions inherent to our artistic lives.