Details
BACKGROUND: In music education contexts, improvisation is
currently a rapidly evolving field across musical genres. In Western
Higher Specialist Music Education (HSME), improvisation has tra-
ditionally been taught as part of jazz curricula, but is increasingly
introduced as part of Western classical music, in addition to genre-
free or crossover approaches. One such approach is conceptualising
improvisation as a socially engaged form of distributed creativity,
consequently, free improvisation has potential for developing vari-
ous non-musical as well as musical skills. A small but growing body
of research has investigated skills developed through free improvi-
sation such as increased agency, creativity and collaborative skills.
Therefore, participating in free improvisation has great potential
in enabling important and new forms of expertise in professional
musicians of the future.
Aims and foci: The paper will present a pilot study in two phases.
The main study’s purpose is to develop conceptual tools for teach-
ing improvisation across genres in HSME. By using an activi-
ty-theoretical lens, we look at how open-ended “objects” can be
transformed to expansive and improvisatory learning outcomes for
participants. This presentation will describe and discuss the pro-
cedures and preliminary findings of the pilot study, as a point of
departure for developing a design involving more institutions and
practitioners.
METHODOLOGY: The two researchers come from different
genre backgrounds, but both work with free improvisation, and
they are situated in two different HSME institutions in Scotland
and Norway, respectively. The pilot study involved investigating
the researchers’ own teaching practices in free improvisation, and
is designed as a Developmental Work Research Study, inspired by
activity-theoretical research methodology. In each phase, the re-
searchers conducted improvisation workshops as visiting teacher
in the other researcher's home institution. For generating research
data, video recordings from the workshops were used as stimulus
material in a joint discussion between the active and passive teach-
er, and subsequently transcribed and analysed using Thematic
Analysis.
Preliminary results and implications: This pilot study identified
themes: conceptual tools change according to contextual demands
i.e curriculum and creative culture of institutions; challenges of
transferring teaching approaches gleaned from informal practice
into a formal HME setting.
We will argue for innovative pedagogical approaches that accom-
modate change and unpredictability in creative educational con-
texts. We will also address dimensions of assessment in free im-
provisation courses, as a way of facilitating creativity in students.
currently a rapidly evolving field across musical genres. In Western
Higher Specialist Music Education (HSME), improvisation has tra-
ditionally been taught as part of jazz curricula, but is increasingly
introduced as part of Western classical music, in addition to genre-
free or crossover approaches. One such approach is conceptualising
improvisation as a socially engaged form of distributed creativity,
consequently, free improvisation has potential for developing vari-
ous non-musical as well as musical skills. A small but growing body
of research has investigated skills developed through free improvi-
sation such as increased agency, creativity and collaborative skills.
Therefore, participating in free improvisation has great potential
in enabling important and new forms of expertise in professional
musicians of the future.
Aims and foci: The paper will present a pilot study in two phases.
The main study’s purpose is to develop conceptual tools for teach-
ing improvisation across genres in HSME. By using an activi-
ty-theoretical lens, we look at how open-ended “objects” can be
transformed to expansive and improvisatory learning outcomes for
participants. This presentation will describe and discuss the pro-
cedures and preliminary findings of the pilot study, as a point of
departure for developing a design involving more institutions and
practitioners.
METHODOLOGY: The two researchers come from different
genre backgrounds, but both work with free improvisation, and
they are situated in two different HSME institutions in Scotland
and Norway, respectively. The pilot study involved investigating
the researchers’ own teaching practices in free improvisation, and
is designed as a Developmental Work Research Study, inspired by
activity-theoretical research methodology. In each phase, the re-
searchers conducted improvisation workshops as visiting teacher
in the other researcher's home institution. For generating research
data, video recordings from the workshops were used as stimulus
material in a joint discussion between the active and passive teach-
er, and subsequently transcribed and analysed using Thematic
Analysis.
Preliminary results and implications: This pilot study identified
themes: conceptual tools change according to contextual demands
i.e curriculum and creative culture of institutions; challenges of
transferring teaching approaches gleaned from informal practice
into a formal HME setting.
We will argue for innovative pedagogical approaches that accom-
modate change and unpredictability in creative educational con-
texts. We will also address dimensions of assessment in free im-
provisation courses, as a way of facilitating creativity in students.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published or Performed - 17 Jul 2018 |
| Event | 33rd ISME World Conference - Haydar Aliyev Palace, Baku, Azerbaijan Duration: 15 Jul 2018 → 20 Jul 2025 |
Conference
| Conference | 33rd ISME World Conference |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Azerbaijan |
| City | Baku |
| Period | 15/07/18 → 20/07/25 |
Keywords
- improvisation
- pedagogy
- higher music education
- tools
- socio-cultural theory
Related Objectives in the Royal Conservatoire's Strategic Plan to 2030
- People: Talented and motivated Staff who use artistic, research, professional and industry developments to enhance the conservatoire’s international leadership in multi-arts education from pre-HE to all ages
