Facilitating a singing group in a men’s prison: A journey of personal transformation

This ‘think piece’ draws on my doctoral research to examine my experience of facilitating a singing group in a Greek prison. Through this community music practice, I reflected on how my gender, ethnicity, socially privileged position and identity as a professional musician and academic shaped my interactions, interpretations and sense of responsibility. Central to this exploration are the concepts of positionality and reflexivity, which enabled me to critically examine my assumptions, values and role in this specific environment. The researcher’s diary, field notes and audio recordings of the sessions were used as research tools, and the data were analysed through document analysis, supporting a systematic process of critical self-examination and reflexive interpretation. Finally, I came to realize that the music facilitator in prison settings can undergo transformative changes in perceptions and overall frame of reference. Therefore, this article explores my personal transformations through the lenses of positionality and reflexivity, considers their impact on my practice as a group singing facilitator and formulates questions intended to inform and guide future research on the facilitator as a self-aware practitioner within the prison environment.