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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0786-6266

Date Available

8-10-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Fine Arts

Department/School/Program

Musicology

Faculty

Donna Kwon

Faculty

Martina Vasil

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on Philmont Scout Ranch, a national Scouting America high adventure base in New Mexico and the largest youth camp in the world, arguing that music at Philmont serves as a cultural force that fosters an intensive communal bond among staff and campers by blending participatory and presentational music-making practices, while producing and reinforcing memories of Philmont through interpretive performances that negotiate the place’s historical narratives. Using surveys, interviews, and Thomas Turino’s framework of participatory and presentational music-making to interpret the author’s 100 hours of field recordings, this study examines aspects of Philmont’s musical habits between 2014 and 2021. It shows how staff use informal, participatory music to build deep connections among themselves, which they then share with campers through presentational campfire performances. It also examines Philmont’s living history campfires, where historical accuracy is balanced with place-based narratives that are framed by the Philmont staff. Drawing on semiotics and theories of framing, this dissertation demonstrates how participatory and presentational music, history, and the physical landscape of Philmont are deeply intertwined.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.368

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