Musical Identity in Fostering Emotional Health

Abstract

This chapter introduces promotion of emotional health as a relevant constituent of musical identity. The chapter contains discussion about the importance of emotions as a key constituent of health and wellbeing referring to the abilities of emotion recognition and emotion regulation and the significance of inducing positive emotions. Music is introduced as a behaviour that has the capacity to effectively promote these core aspects of emotional health and wellbeing and it is argued that these emotion-related capabilities serve as essential routes through which music relates to health. It is proposed that a musical identity that fosters emotional health contains self-reflective awareness of the emotions expressed, evoked, and regulated through music and a sense of self-control and agency regarding one’s emotional engagement in music for pleasure, selfexpression, coping, and growing emotional intelligence.