Expert Western Classical Music Improvisers’ Strategies

Abstract

The growing interest in musical improvisation is exemplified by the body of literatures evidencing the positive impacts of improvisation learning on the musical apprentice’s aptitudes and the increasing presence of improvisation in Western classical concert halls and competitions. However, high-level Western classical music improvisers’ thinking processes are not yet thoroughly documented. As a result of this gap, our research addresses the following question: What strategies are implemented in the course of performance by Western classical music improvisers? To answer this question, semistructured interviews were conducted with five internationally recognized Western classical music expert improvisers. Each participant improvised, and immediately afterward, a retrospective verbal protocol with subjective aided recall data collection strategy was used to elicit the improvising musician’s strategies. After transcription, the interviews were coded and analyzed using NVivo 10 software, with a mixed (i.e., combining inductive and deductive coding) category approach. Our data revealed 46 improvisation strategies that were subsequently organized into five categories: preplanning, conceptual, structural, atmospheric and stylistic, and real time. Pedagogical implications arising from these findings are that (a) learners should be guided toward implementing various strategies and (b) the capacity to switch from one strategy to another according to the circumstances should be promoted.

The Improvisational State of Mind: A Multidisciplinary Study of an Improvisatory Approach to Classical Music Repertoire Performance

“…Yet the actual result suggests the opposite. This dissociation between performance decisions and conscious awareness of these decisions is one of the characteristics of a state of flow (as pointed out by Després et al, 2017 ).…”

“…1–6). Although very few existing studies examine improvisation in the context of Western classical art-music, a notable exception is Després et al ( 2017 ), who explore strategies applied by five internationally recognized classical music solo improvisers by means of analyzing semi-structured retrospective interviews. However, this study did not gather any data from actual performances and therefore sheds only indirect light on performance characteristics and audience response.…”

“…Chirico et al ( 2015 ) review recent investigations into the relationship between music and flow, covering musical performance, composition and listening. Improvisation as a source of flow has been neglected, although Després et al ( 2017 ), suggest that Berkowitz ( 2010 ) characterization of a “witness” state of mind in the solo classical improvisation of Robert Levin and Malcolm Bilson may hint at elements of flow. In the “creator” state, a musician develops the improvisation consciously and deliberately, using declarative knowledge.…”

“…In the “witness” state, the improviser is more akin to a spectator of his or her own unfolding improvisation which emerges through implicit procedural knowledge. However, in both Berkowitz ( 2010 ) and Després et al ( 2017 ) investigations of solo classical improvisation, the data came from extended retrospective interviews separated from any specific performance, and thus not optimal for uncovering evidence of flow states which, by definition, are “in the moment.” In addition there was no consideration in any prior studies of how such states may be shared between musicians in group improvisation or communicated to listeners. There is thus much still to discover about the way that different levels of conscious awareness guide the real-time decision making process.…”

Canonized repertoire as conduit to creativity

“…Observing the scarcity of empirical studies addressing the creative processes of improvisers in the Western European art music tradition, Després et al (2017) investigated strategies utilized by expert improvisers working in Western classical music. In order to access a depth of knowledge and expertise, quality-sampling in the case study research design permitted focus upon five expert improvisers.…”