Page 253 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 12, zvezek 25 / Year 12, Issue 25, 2016
P. 253
Ilonka Pucihar, POMEN VKLJUÈEVANJA IMPROVIZACIJE V POUK KLAVIRJA
Summary
In the present paper, we focus on the importance of improvisation as a creative activity in
music education, where it is often overlooked. We start from the insights of neuroscience,
which confirms that creativity involves cognitive mechanisms that are to a greater or lesser
extent possessed by everyone, and from the findings of numerous studies that conclude
that improvisation should constitute an important part of music education, as it encourages
many areas of pupils’ musical development.
We present one part of research examining and evaluating a new approach to the inclusion
of improvisation in individual piano instruction, an approach that is systematically
integrated into the collection of piano method books entitled My Friend the Piano
(Pucihar and Pucihar, 2010–2012). The study included 14 piano pupils from grades 1–5
who were taught with the regular inclusion of improvisation (a few minutes per lesson). In
three cycles of qualitative research/multiple case studies, we observed and evaluated the
connection of the suggestions for improvisation with the pupils’ musical-creative
thinking, spontaneity, freedom of expression, attention and motivation. We also assessed
their impact on the pupils’ technical and interpretative skills, their conceptual
understanding of music and their enjoyment of music. Finally, by varying certain
improvisation skills with regard to age, we evaluated the pupils’ experience of specific
suggestions for improvisation and their level of interest in their own musical expression.
The methods of observation and evaluation of individual areas are presented in the paper.
The research showed that the suggestions for improvisation encourage all of the observed
areas, with the most effective suggestions being those with a sufficiently simple structure
to provide a broad sonic challenge while allowing freedom to explore. Particularly
effective were suggestions involving teacher accompaniment that is sonically rich and
varied, executed in a specific 5-finger position or scale. Also effective was the
simultaneous encouragement of free improvisations that are not related to the suggestions
in the method books and that allow the pupils themselves to set limitations; these were
added according to the wishes and needs of the pupils. Originality declines with age,
despite the regular and systematic integration of improvisation; pupils quickly shift from
playful exploration to a more result-oriented way of working. Younger pupils continually
explore, while older pupils repeat and develop material displaying consistent melodic and
tonal characteristics that are not necessarily original. The suggestions for improvisation
are also associated with relaxed, light-hearted, flowing and exact performance in various
keys. They support personal interpretive decisions in the performance of improvisations
and the associated notated compositions, and encourage a more deeply integrated
conceptual understanding of music, based on lived experience.
The paper also presents some brief statements by pupils and their parents, which reflect
the importance of the integration of improvisation in piano instruction. In their opinion, a
knowledge of improvisation and opportunities to improvise bring interest and satisfaction,
a sense of competence, freedom of expression, ease, relaxation, pleasure, an absence of
fear of mistakes, and self-motivation. While improvising, pupils are encouraged by their
success, which fills them with satisfaction and inner motivation. Improvisation therefore
253
Summary
In the present paper, we focus on the importance of improvisation as a creative activity in
music education, where it is often overlooked. We start from the insights of neuroscience,
which confirms that creativity involves cognitive mechanisms that are to a greater or lesser
extent possessed by everyone, and from the findings of numerous studies that conclude
that improvisation should constitute an important part of music education, as it encourages
many areas of pupils’ musical development.
We present one part of research examining and evaluating a new approach to the inclusion
of improvisation in individual piano instruction, an approach that is systematically
integrated into the collection of piano method books entitled My Friend the Piano
(Pucihar and Pucihar, 2010–2012). The study included 14 piano pupils from grades 1–5
who were taught with the regular inclusion of improvisation (a few minutes per lesson). In
three cycles of qualitative research/multiple case studies, we observed and evaluated the
connection of the suggestions for improvisation with the pupils’ musical-creative
thinking, spontaneity, freedom of expression, attention and motivation. We also assessed
their impact on the pupils’ technical and interpretative skills, their conceptual
understanding of music and their enjoyment of music. Finally, by varying certain
improvisation skills with regard to age, we evaluated the pupils’ experience of specific
suggestions for improvisation and their level of interest in their own musical expression.
The methods of observation and evaluation of individual areas are presented in the paper.
The research showed that the suggestions for improvisation encourage all of the observed
areas, with the most effective suggestions being those with a sufficiently simple structure
to provide a broad sonic challenge while allowing freedom to explore. Particularly
effective were suggestions involving teacher accompaniment that is sonically rich and
varied, executed in a specific 5-finger position or scale. Also effective was the
simultaneous encouragement of free improvisations that are not related to the suggestions
in the method books and that allow the pupils themselves to set limitations; these were
added according to the wishes and needs of the pupils. Originality declines with age,
despite the regular and systematic integration of improvisation; pupils quickly shift from
playful exploration to a more result-oriented way of working. Younger pupils continually
explore, while older pupils repeat and develop material displaying consistent melodic and
tonal characteristics that are not necessarily original. The suggestions for improvisation
are also associated with relaxed, light-hearted, flowing and exact performance in various
keys. They support personal interpretive decisions in the performance of improvisations
and the associated notated compositions, and encourage a more deeply integrated
conceptual understanding of music, based on lived experience.
The paper also presents some brief statements by pupils and their parents, which reflect
the importance of the integration of improvisation in piano instruction. In their opinion, a
knowledge of improvisation and opportunities to improvise bring interest and satisfaction,
a sense of competence, freedom of expression, ease, relaxation, pleasure, an absence of
fear of mistakes, and self-motivation. While improvising, pupils are encouraged by their
success, which fills them with satisfaction and inner motivation. Improvisation therefore
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