Jackson Green Humanities
Pain of Excellence: Pursuing Music by Reliving Trauma
Scholars Journal
Trauma narratives are everywhere in the memoirs of great musicians; are they simply good stories or is suffering a crucial part of the path towards musical greatness? Jackson analyzes pianistic practice as reflective of religious autoflagellation: a repeated, self-imposed discipline that aspires to deific mimesis. This informs a post-Jungian view of such practice as a medium for individuation and soul-making. Pain is central to these processes, calling into question the ethics of instrumental proficiency in research that may serve masochists as a roadmap to artistic achievement.
Major: Music and French
Mentor: Nicholas Matthew, Music