ABSTRACT
Individuals may begin instrumental teaching in the UK with no formal qualification and professional practice in this field is not subject to any regulation or legislation. The central focus therefore relates to the way in which individuals identify themselves professionally and develop understandings of the role of teacher in the absence of formal teacher training and regulation. Teachers in the study attribute specific personal and professional meanings to the term musician, suggesting an approach in which professional identity in instrumental musicians is negotiated in relation to contemporary careers in music, rather than as part of a narrative which prioritises notions of the musician as performer. The culture of music education is depicted as a dominant influence in the formation of understandings and perceptions from the earliest stages of instrumental study. Instrumental teaching is one of a range of professional roles commonly performed by musicians in what is termed a portfolio or protean career model.
