Free Improvisation As a Connection Tool: Searching For Technical Proficiency, Reconnection and Creativity in Flute Practice

Elisa Bartolome Gomez

The pursuit of perfection and the pressure to continually progress often overshadow the intrinsic joy and freedom that initially drew musicians to their profession. After a negative experience within my studies, I wanted to rediscover the essence of music-making through the lens of a specific tool: free improvisation. The research is driven by an autoethnographic approach where I focus on a specific angle within the broader topic of free improvisation: exploring how incorporating this tool affects the different parts of flute playing by putting the focus on how it can make us connect with our instrument, be more aware of our playing, of our body and to expand our creativity and imagination. Adopting a qualitative methodology, this research includes an exhaustive literature review, a journal on my reflections in collaborative sessions with a professional on the field and a data analysis of the survey answers by both professionals and students connected with this tool. Through immersive sessions conducted by Anne La Berge, I was guided across the possibilities of this tool. These are captured in a field journal where I reflect on topics as body awareness, skill development, creativity and motivational shifts triggered by the improvisational process in my own experience. Additionally, the insights collected from the questionnaires bring different points of view in the matter, offering diverse experiences and valuable perspectives. In summary, this study highlights the potential of free improvisation as a tool for reconnection, self-discovery and artistic growth as a flute player.

This research will employ a qualitative methodology, consisting of three sections: a literature review, a collaboration with professionals in the sector (including my own experience), and a questionnaire answered by students and professionals who work with free improvisation.

After reviewing some literature, I collaborated with Anne La Berge, a professional free improvisation musician, to learn about the tool and its effects on classical performers. During these four sessions, I expanded my knowledge on various flute-playing topics, including extended techniques, electronic piccolo and flute, timbre exploration, communication and connection, the quarter tone flute, and free improvisation from a specific repertoire.

Additionally, I maintained a detailed journal in which I reflected on my experience, changes in awareness, skill development, and motivation, exploring how the process affects my overall musical growth. To achieve this, I recorded the four lessons with Anne La Berge and subsequently analyzed them to reflect on the collected data.

In addition, I conducted interviews with five professionals and five students related with free improvisation. The purpose was to gain insight into their experiences and to identify new steps in the process of developing this tool. The interviews covered topics such as their initial experience with free improvisation, how they developed the tool, and their recommendations for those using it for the first time. Additionally, they were asked if they experienced any changes in their playing, such as benefits or disadvantages, while training free improvisation or while improvising in their professional careers. These surveys were used in order to obtain external perspectives and guidance on my journey and advice for those reading this investigation who are interested in developing this tool.

The subject of the research is an autoethnographic approach that focuses on a specific angle within the broader topic of free improvisation. The aim is to explore how incorporating free improvisation affects the different parts of flute playing, with a particular focus on how it can enhance our connection with our instrument, increase our awareness of what is happening in our playing, body, and mind, and expand our creativity and imagination.

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