Musicians are continually 'in the making', tapping into their own creative resources while deriving inspiration from teachers, friends, family members and listeners. Amateur and professional performers alike tend not to follow fixed routes in developing a creative voice: instead, their artistic journeys are personal, often without foreseeable goals. The imperative to assess and reassess one's musical knowledge, understanding and aspirations is nevertheless a central feature of life as a performer.
Musicians in the Making explores the creative development of musicians in both formal and informal learning contexts. It promotes a novel view of creativity, emphasizing its location within creative processes rather than understanding it as an innate quality. It argues that such processes may be learned and refined, and furthermore that collaboration and interaction within group contexts carry significant potential to inform and catalyze creative experiences and outcomes. The book also traces and models the ways in which creative processes evolve over time.
Performers, music teachers and researchers will find the rich body of material assembled here engaging and enlightening. The book's three parts focus in turn on 'Creative learning in context', 'Creative processes' and 'Creative dialogue and reflection'. In addition to sixteen extended chapters written by leading experts in the field, the volume includes ten 'Insights' by internationally prominent performers, performance teachers and others. Practical aids include abstracts and lists of keywords at the start of each chapter, which provide useful overviews and guidance on content.
Topics addressed by individual authors include intrapersonal and interpersonal dynamics, performance experience, practice and rehearsal, 'self-regulated performing', improvisation, self-reflection, expression, interactions between performers and audiences, assessment, and the role of academic study in performers' development.
Contents
List of contributors
List of illustrations
Preface
John Rink, Helena Gaunt and Aaron Williamon
Insight John Wallace - A musician's journey
Part 1 - Creative learning in context
Chapter 1 Learning to perform: from 'gifts' and 'talents' to skills and creative engagement
Jane Davidson and Gary McPherson
Chapter 2 Apprenticeship and empowerment: the role of one-to-one lessons
Helena Gaunt
Chapter 3 Facilitating learning in small groups: interpersonal dynamics and task dimensions
Andrea Creech and Susan Hallam
Chapter 4 The role and significance of master classes in creative learning
Ingrid Hanken
Chapter 5 Checking progress and setting directions: examination and assessment
Don Lebler and Scott Harrison
Chapter 6 Informal learning and musical performance
Tim Smart and Lucy Green
Insight Jane Manning - The creative voice in artistic performance
Insight Mine Do?antan-Dack - Expressive freedom in classical pianism: insights from a pianist-researcher
Insight Ricardo Castro (with Helena Gaunt) - Transformation through music
Part 2 - Creative processes
Chapter 7 Performers in the practice room
Karen Wise, Mirjam James and John Rink
Chapter 8 Small ensembles in rehearsal
Jane Ginsborg
Chapter 9 The creative work of large ensembles
Stephen Cottrell
Chapter 10 Learning in the spotlight: approaches to self-regulating and profiling performance
Aaron Williamon, Terry Clark and Mats Küssner
Chapter 11 Incorporating improvisation into classical music performance
Juniper Hill
Insight Carlos Lopez-Real - Musical artistry and identity in balance
Insight Margaret Faultless - Ensemble music in the making: a matter of shared leadership
Insight Helen Reid - Making connections
Part 3 - Creative dialogue and reflection
Chapter 12 Reflection and the classical musician: practice in cultural context
Mary Hunter and Stephen Broad
Chapter 13 Towards convergence: academic studies and the student performer
Celia Duffy and Joe Harrop
Chapter 14 Musical expression from conception to reception
Darla Crispin and Stefan Östersjö
Chapter 15 Dialogue and beyond: communication and interaction in ensemble performance
Elaine King and Anthony Gritten
Chapter 16 Responding to performers: listeners and audiences
Sinéad O'Neill and John Sloboda
Insight Susanne van Els - On artistic adventures and connecting to audiences
Insight Frances-Marie Uitti - Beyond convention: listening to one's inner voice
Insight Melvyn Tan (with John Rink) - Learning to take time
Index
