Orchestrating Identities: Resonance, Regulation and Resistance in a Symphony Orchestra

Drawing on an ethnographic study of a Danish symphony orchestra, this paper integrates the concept of identity regulation with resonance theory to show how musicians’ deeply held identity – and their raison d’être in creating resonance for their audience – fundamentally constrains managerial efforts to (re)define who they are. We show how resistance to identity regulation manifests in subtle signals, emotional expressions and even bodily breakdowns, extending beyond what existing, primarily discourse-based research in identity regulation captures.