A life without a plan? Freelance musicians in pandemic limbo. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nørholm Lundin, Anna
• Is Part Of: Emotion, space and society. Volume 45(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Freelance musicians -- Pandemic Covid-19 -- Social practice -- Emotions -- Places -- Spaces; Emotions -- Periodicals; Spatial behavior -- Periodicals; Space perception -- Periodicals; 152.4
• DOI: 10.1016/j.emospa.2022.100924
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-4586

Abstract

Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already precarious conditions of freelance workers. The aim of this study is to understand what it means for freelance musicians to be in pandemic limbo. Thirteen Swedish professional freelance musicians in the classical genre were interviewed about their experiences in the midst of the pandemic. A theoretical frame of reference is offered with concepts from Bourdieu, sociology of emotions and emotional geographies. This enables an understanding of what it means as a freelancer to be dislocated and disrupted in relation to places and spaces of work and investments in time and emotions. The conclusions are about the ambivalent emotions and processes of emotional management that are caused by the pandemic. For freelance musicians, depending on their access to the live-settings of gigs, auditions and social venues, it is like being thrown back in time and place (back to where careers were slowly built). However, while at a distance from the normal run of careers, constructive processes of critical reflection and re-orientation have been initiated. Highlights: Professional freelance musicians in the classical genre were interviewed about their experiences of being in pandemic limbo. Theoretically the article addresses what it means to be dislocated and disrupted in relation to places and spaces of work. The conclusions are about ambivalent emotions and processes of emotional management that are caused by the pandemic. For freelancers, depending on their access to the live-settings of work, it is like being thrown back in time and place. While at a distance from normal careers, processes of critical reflection and re-orientation have been initiated.