ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the contested definitions of educational categories provide a useful starting point in acknowledging the complexities of musical learning both inside and outside educational institutions. It focuses on data gathered from an electronically distributed questionnaire and a series of semi-structured interviews, with the specific aim of focusing on popular electronic musicians' musical practices, processes and experiences within Higher Education (HE) in the United States. The chapter also focuses on Papageorgi et al.'s approach to capturing students perceptions of the pervading philosophy within their respective educational institutions. Music education is often grouped into three broad forms: formal, non-formal and informal, which are characterized by their methods of learning. In order to contextualize the popular electronic musicians' perceptions and experiences of formal education, the interviews began by exploring their experiences of music education prior to their HE studies.
