Free Improvisation as Living Expression

Ng, Hoon Hong

doi:10.1007/978-981-4560-55-9_9

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Unlike idiomatic improvisation, which is “mainly concerned with the expression of an idiom—such as jazz, flamenco or baroque” (Bailey, 1992, p. xi), free improvisation is idiom-free, or perhaps more accurately, idiom-fluid. Its fluidity allows for a diverse hybrid of styles and idioms crafted with whatever tools, skills, and experiences the improviser has, who may vary styles and techniques at will in response to real-time performance situation (Ng, 2014). All rules of performance (e.g., grammars, sounds, styles) are possible and created collectively and spontaneously (Costa & Schaub, 2013).…”

Section: Free Improvisation—definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is in this context that I describe the pedagogical strategies adopted in a CFMI course I conduct for PMTs in National Institute of Education, Singapore. These strategies first germinated from an autoethnographic study of myself as a self-taught free improviser seeking my personal musical voice away from music for competitions, exams, and showcasing (Ng, 2014). The strategies developed over my eight years of experience conducting free improvisation courses in the teacher college and were further expanded through my PhD study, which examined the learning experiences of PMTs in my free improvisation course (Ng, 2021).…”

Section: Cfmi In Music Teacher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Facilitating Collective Free Improvisation Learning in Teacher Education

2023

Journal of Music Teacher Education

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Collective free music improvisation (CFMI) develops musicians’ relationships, identity, and communication skills and engages musicians from different cultures by tapping into their diversities in the music-making process. It also develops an open attitude toward working with children’s creative potential—by paving the way for open, egalitarian teaching approaches. However, teachers may not know how to incorporate it in their music classes due to the lack of teacher preparation in its practice and pedagogy. This interest article offers a theoretical basis for engaging preservice music teachers (PMTs) in CFMI learning in a teacher preparation course—by drawing on research and the author’s experiences facilitating CFMI classes. In combination with theory, pedagogical strategies that develop PMTs’ free improvisational skills based on a socio-communicative framework are described. These strategies offer practical pathways to introducing free improvisation to PMTs that could motivate and enable them to bring the practice into their future music classrooms.

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Section: Free Improvisation—definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cfmi In Music Teacher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitating Collective Free Improvisation Learning in Teacher Education

2023

Journal of Music Teacher Education

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“…Abril's group also comprised Andy, Chloe, and Henry, while Adrienne's group also included Indra, Jared, Megan, and Valerie (all pseudonyms). I served as course facilitator given my prior experience as a practitioner, educator, and researcher in free music improvisation (e.g., Ng, 2014Ng, , 2019aNg, , 2019b.…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Inhibitions may be overcome if students are allowed to improvise freely, engaging with diverse hybrid of styles and idioms crafted with whatever tools, skills, and experiences the improviser has, who may vary styles and techniques in response to the moment-to-moment performance situation (Ng, 2014). It is unbounded by established musical traditions, procedures, and styles, rather "striving instead for experimentation and countering hierarchical musical structures and music-making contexts" (Kanellopoulus, 2011, p. 118).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning collective free music improvisation as a socio-communicative endeavor: Preservice teachers’ journey in a teacher preparation course in Singapore

2022

International Journal of Music Education

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In this exploratory case study, I examined how preservice music teachers (PMTs) developed collective free music improvisation (CFMI) competencies in a teacher training program in Singapore. Nine PMTs participated in the 6-week course, where they acquired CFMI skills following a curriculum derived from improvisation and free improvisation literature. Data obtained through video recordings of course proceedings, field notes, interviews, and surveys were analyzed through the constant comparative method of analysis. Findings revealed PMTs’ learning processes as a 3-part journey based on recurring behavioral traits in each segment. Over weeks of performances, PMTs transitioned from a conservative behavioral state to an increasingly volatile one that challenged socio-musical boundaries, finally establishing unique group identities at the end of their journey. Based on their learning experiences, I provide suggestions to scaffold CFMI training.

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The Value of Learning Collective Free Music Improvisation: Preservice Music Educators’ Perspectives

2021

Journal of Music Teacher Education

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I conducted a case study to explore preservice music teachers’ behaviors, thoughts, and feelings when engaged in collective free music improvisation. Nine preservice music teachers were taught how to freely improvise within groups as part of a teacher education course and participated in interviews and focus group discussions. Major themes highlighted learning across three segments that emphasized communication and collaborative skills, entrepreneurial skills and risk taking, and reconciliation and transformation. I concluded that the sociomusical outcomes produced by collective free improvisation may complement those of more formal and idiomatic improvisation practices, and that by introducing preservice music teachers to free improvisation activities, they may be more willing to engage PK–12 students in free improvisation lessons that enhance the existing school music curriculum.

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Free Improvisation as Living Expression

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Facilitating Collective Free Improvisation Learning in Teacher Education

Facilitating Collective Free Improvisation Learning in Teacher Education

Learning collective free music improvisation as a socio-communicative endeavor: Preservice teachers’ journey in a teacher preparation course in Singapore

The Value of Learning Collective Free Music Improvisation: Preservice Music Educators’ Perspectives

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