It is not the work of art, but the individual and contextual experience of art/music
that is the focus of attention here. Wertsch (1991) says that: ‘‘Only by being part of
action do mediational means come into being and play their role. They have no
magical power in and of themselves’’ (ibid, p. 119). ‘‘Music alone’’ will not suffice;
we need to include an experiencing human being (Vist 2008), with both body and
mind (Johnson 1990). Music experience can include peak experiences (Gabrielsson
2001; Maslow 1987), aesthetic experiences with music (Reimer 1989, 2005; Dewey
1980) and music experiences in everyday life (DeNora 2001, 2002). It is not limited
to any particular genre, and can include various activities such as listening, playing,
singing, composing or dancing.