This paper explores the music-making practices of amateur music organizations in the University of the Philippines, with a focus on UP LIRIKA, a student group of musicians (singers, songwriters, singer-songwriters, instrumentalists) and music enthusiasts (production crew, music lovers/fans). Using Jacques Attali's "Composing" era as a post-capitalist ethics framework, I investigate how amateur music-makers prioritize artistic freedom, inclusivity, and social relevance over commercial success.
Through ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observation, a focus group discussion, and document analysis, I explore how amateur music-makers create and maintain a sense of identity through their music-making practices; with how they navigate uncertainties and challenges such as economic precarity and marginalization, and how they envision hopeful futures with self-expression and intimate relationships at its center. My findings suggest that these organizations offer an alternative mode of musical production and consumption, emphasizing artistic expression, critique, and innovation. Situating these practices within the broader context of Attali's "Composing" era, I argue that amateur music-makers have the potential to create meaningful and transformative musical spaces that reinterpret, if not challenge dominant cultural norms.
This study contributes to the growing literature on post-capitalist ethics in music and sheds light on the potential of amateur music organizations in promoting a more socially just and equitable musical landscape. By highlighting the perspectives and experiences of amateur musicians and enthusiasts, this paper adds a significant layer in understanding the social relations found within contemporary music-making practices.
