As musicians, we are in a continuous rush to learn repertoire as fast and as perfect as possible, creating and joining different projects. We have the pressure to be constantly and recklessly developing.
For this reason, mental health has become a topic very much discussed nowadays among the sector’s professionals. Musicians are more concerned about getting specialized musical coaches, going to psychologists on a regular basis, exercising and including some mindful practices in their routines such as meditation or yoga.
As a flutist, regardless of my efforts, I was never the first in my class and this endless road of achieving success and trying to be good enough removed from my practice room the main reason why I chose this career: the joy, freedom and fun that was intrinsic when playing my instrument.
When I realized that I had lost fun and freedom, the next question came to my mind: how can I feel more connected to my body and to my instrument while playing? Is there any tool that can help me go back to the innocence and freedom of a kid playing, leaving out any judgment and putting joy, fun and creativity into the center of my practice?
To introduce the tool that we are going to investigate, I would like to begin with how I learnt about it.
During my music studies I have become more and more interested in the topic “Music and Health”. In fact, I dedicated my bachelor’s research project to “Indanza”, an activity that aims to a holistic development of the person, using dances that are linked to certain music pieces and that are based in free movement (being opposite to choreographic dances).
Therefore, when entering the master's degree, it was clear in my mind that I wanted to investigate something that involves the well-being topic.
In my first year, my project had many changes as I was interested in further outcomes of this music and healthcare topic.
Selecting the elective “Socially Engaged Artistic Practice” provided an excellent starting point for me to explore various projects related to my area of interest: Music and Dementia, which focuses on elderly care homes, and ProMiMic (Meaningful Music in Healthcare), which takes place in hospitals.
After learning about these projects, I realized that I needed to acquire new skills and tools to participate in them or create my own. Learning to work in healthcare settings requires time, experience and a specific skill set.
During this elective, I became interested in person-centered free improvisation, a tool commonly used in various healthcare-related projects.
This tool is used to connect with patients and between the musicians involved in the project. Free improvisation gives space to a creative environment where everyone feels free to express their emotions and develop their imagination and creativity without fear of judgement.
Before finally deciding the principal question for my investigation, a significant event occurred. At the end of my first year of my master's degree, I failed an exam unexpectedly, despite feeling satisfied and pleased with my performance. The committee members provided overwhelmingly negative feedback, stating that my flute skills were weak due to insufficient training and a lack of passion for music.
This caused me to lose confidence in myself and my abilities, leading to a disconnection from my instrument.
Upon discovering the potential benefits of free improvisation as both a pedagogical and healthcare tool, I began to consider its potential for my own musical development. Can I benefit from using this tool to reconnect with my instrument and improve my flute skills?