BRIEF HISTORY OF FREE IMPROVISATION

To discuss the broad topic of free improvisation objectively, it is necessary to first address its history and provide a clear definition of the term as it will be used throughout the research.  

Although jazz music is often associated with improvisation, it is important to consider other genres as well. Therefore, this research will explore improvisation in various musical contexts. The popular notion that improvisation is an extinct skill in classical music is highlighted by the fact that it is not a genre we usually associate with this word (Mooiman, 2021, p.20). However, this has not always been the case. 

When considering improvisation in classical music, one might think of baroque music, classical cadenzas, music for organ, folk and traditional music, or the cadenzas of opera arias.

Improvisation has been present in music since the Middle Ages and continued during the Baroque period. Great composers such as Corelli, Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, and Scarlatti were admired for their ability to improvise on a random theme (March, n.d., para. 6).

This technique developed from the cadenzas performed in operas and became one of the most important classical elements in the second half of the 18th century. These are the cadenzas that are typically performed at the end of the first or second movement of a piece, although they can also occur at other times, as seen in Romantic concertos. One of the most well-known examples is Franz Liszt's improvisations on stage. Musical Romanticism is characterized by its ad libitum cadenzas and flourishes. 

According to Gerhard Wehle in his 1925 work 'Die Kunst der Improvisation', improvisation disappeared from the mid-19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. Wehle laments the extinction of the art of improvising, stating that legends abound of brilliant improvisers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Mozart, Bruckner, and Liszt. However, the art of improvisation is no longer cultivated today (Mooiman, 2021, p.21).

Nevertheless, the genre of free improvisation originated in 1960 in the United Kingdom and the United States, resulting from the fusion of free jazz and the experimental avant-garde of classical music (Amaro de Menezes, 2010, p.18).

It could also be argued that it was influenced by the stochastic and aleatory music movement of the 1950s. The main feature of this genre is the interchangeability of roles between the composer, performer, and even the audience. John Cage is one of the most renowned authors in this field. 

Free improvisation differs from jazz improvisation as it prioritises creative freedom over harmonic, rhythmic or melodic agreements. 

Two interesting definitions of the term are the one given by The Oxford Grove Dictionary of Music defines improvisation as "a performance according to the inventive whim of the moment, i.e. without a written or printed score, and not from memory" and the one from The Harvard Dictionary which describes it as “the art of performing music spontaneously without the aid of manuscript, sketches or memory”.

In free improvisation, unlike the improvisation we talk about in Baroque music, in popular music, in jazz, there is no specific obligatory language, there are no contrapuntal rules, no score, no rythmic or harmonic agreements. It's all about “music that is born from the desire to create new music in the moment and collectively” (Alonso, 2007, p.1), music that “lacks a referential grammar… born from the desire to create new music in the moment and collectively” (Alonso, 2007, p.1) and that it is “based on decisions that have not been planned in advance, but that are made ad hoc, in the moment” (Mooiman, 2021, p.25).

Under these characteristics, it could be concluded that free improvisation is a tool "perplexing in the best sense: the music doesn't give up its secrets on first hearing, or second, or third" (Whitehead, 1999).

Various studies have shown the benefits of musical free improvisation. One of which describes them in more detail is "Contributions of improvisation practice to the development of performance skills: a study of classical music performers' perceptions" (Lorenzo de Reizábal, 2019), where the author classifies the benefits in three groups:

- Cognitive: develops creativity, musical memory, mental fluency and flexibility, the ability to analyze and synthesize, the ability to plan, structure and order musical elements, and the ability to concentrate.

- Interpretative musical: improves instrumental technique, expressiveness, sound, musical listening ability, helps to understand and learn the construction of musical discourse, allows the search for the "personal voice" or style of the performer to emerge. 

- Psychological: improves self-confidence and self-esteem, provides mental strength to overcome the "fear of failure" and learn to "get out of failure", helps in the control of anxiety and mental blocks, seeks the discovery of musical possibilities, develops the ability to work collaboratively (in the case of group improvisation).

The literature review will discuss the topics related to my research question based on existing studies and their findings.

Some examples of distinguished pedagogues who use this tool in their teaching are:

·Kenny Werner (1951). Jazz pianist that uses free improvisation as a tool to overcome psychological and creative boundaries in his students. 

·Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016). Outstanding composer and educator in experimental music. She used free improvisation as a pedagogical tool, encouraging creativity and connection with the sound environment in her classes and promoting spontaneous exploration and real-time collaboration.

·Barry Green (1945). Double bass for the Cincinnati Philharmonic Orchestra and author of "The Inner Game of Music" promotes improvisation as a way to develop musical expression and confidence in classical music students.

·John Sloboda (1948). Music psychologist and professor emeritus at Keele University that has explored the role of improvisation in the development of musical skills and creativity in classical music students.

·Luciano Berio (1925-2003). Italian composer and pedagogue that incorporated free improvisation into his methods of teaching composition and musical analysis. His pedagogical approach encouraged students to explore spontaneous music-making as part of their learning process.

·Suzuki Method Teachers. Following the teaching of Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, often incorporate improvisation as part of their approach to develop listening skills, creativity, and musical expression from an early age.

STAGE FRIGHT

Stage fright is a commonly discussed and taught concept in conservatory classrooms and on stages worldwide. Various methods, such as breathing exercises, psychoanalytic therapies, or the Alexander technique, are used to alleviate stage anxiety.

This problem is widespread among both students and professionals. In his book “Musicians as lifelong learners, Discovery through biography” (2009), Smilde points out an important result in a study on stage fright in orchestras: “Williamon (2004) draws on research of Fishbean et al. (1988), showing that 24% of the orchestral musicians suffer from stage fright on a regular basis, of which 15% regard it as limitation to their performance”.

This stage fright can even lead to health problems. The profession tends to be quite secretive about health issues in musicians. One of the most famous in this specific matter is focal dystonia. This illness implies a very slow rehabilitation and a complete recovery is rare. In the context of musicians, focal dystonia can manifest as difficulties in coordinating and controlling movements, which can interfere with instrumental performance.

Performance anxiety may occur in many cases because musical performance is a psychomotor task that requires physical actions to achieve a predetermined goal. Performers often put great pressure on themselves to achieve what they perceive as perfection (West, 2004, p.272, as cited in Smilde, 2009, p.60). In this career, students and professionals often face intense competition and pressure. For instance, in the case of flutes, it is common for over a hundred people to apply for a single orchestra vacancy.

Several studies discuss the use of free improvisation as a method of overcoming performance anxiety: "Sometimes improvisation is seen as a way for classically trained musicians to become more free, and in this way, more self-confident at auditions and concerts” (Mooiman, 2021, p.24). In a career where it is difficult to find freedom in the pursuit of perfection, the promotion of new tools that allow us to find our own voice in performance is vital.

Furthermore, we can find studies that indicate that free improvisation is a tool that promotes “learning to deal with accidents and mistakes in performance much more robustly” (Bochner, 2010), which helps to manage nerves on stage. 

It has also been shown to have other benefits such as “having an enhanced sense of pleasure and emotional experience” Bochner (2010). This is a very important benefit, as joy not only helps us to reduce anxiety or intrusive thoughts, but also relaxes our bodies, which translates into better body awareness and therefore better interpretation and less chance of manifesting injuries.

Finally, it has been recognized that one of the causes of stage fright is a lack of self-confidence or lack of self-esteem. In this sense, Arana Salazar (2019) describes one of the conclusions after his experiments with this tool in students: "Free improvisation positively influenced issues of self-esteem, self-acceptance and/or self-confidence... even by transferring these learnings to the personal sphere" (p.41).

CREATIVITY 

When someone mentions the word “improvisation”, the first thing that might come to our mind is jazz music. When we think of this genre, we probably picture a stage in a bar where everyone can listen to some music while enjoying a drink, talking while the musicians play, and experiencing the creativity of the musicians in a relaxed environment where stage fright or simple things like the performers' outfits are not really important.

For a classical musician, there is no such thing as "improvisation" in a regular performance. In a classical music performance even the bowing to the audience is rehearsed before the concert and even the audience is judged on whether they clap between movements or if they make any kind of noise during the performance.

So how can we develop tools that help us get out of these paradigms? Lorenzo de Reizábal (2022) describes improvisation in her research “Contributions of improvisation practice to the development of performance skills: a study of classical music performers’ perceptions” as a perfect tool for this purpose: "Improvising, without a doubt, is creating in freedom, it is creating without corsets, and that is the way to develop your musical creativity" (Lorenzo de Reizábal, 2022, p.73).

Free improvisation offers us this essential freedom to unleash imagination and creativity, and it is also a tool that can be used by both professionals and students, as it allows you to create from your current technical skills. This encourages motivation, bearing in mind that in classical music it is the other way around. It is always necessary to improve technical skills because it is very difficult to reach the canon of interpretation. As for improvisation:

"The more mastery one has of the technique of the instrument and the musical language, the more possibilities are available to the improviser [...] In any case, it should also be clarified that an improvisation can be of quality and very expressive, even when the performer is not endowed with great technical ability. In these cases, it is the emotional intelligence of the performer that plays a crucial role." (Lorenzo de Reizábal, 2022, p.73)

CONNECTION TOOL

My first contact with free improvisation was during one of the electives offered in the first year of my master program. "Socially Engaged Artistic Practice" presented us with various projects which, as the name suggests, had in common that they were all socially engaged.  

Two of these projects, both related to healthcare settings, have in common the use of free person-centred improvisation as the main tool to connect with patients.  

On the one hand, the "Music for Life" project takes place in homes for elderly people with dementia. In the group sessions, the musicians, the residents and nurses carry out activities based on free improvisation in which the residents can actively participate by playing an instrument, singing and even conducting. In this project, active listening, spontaneity, creativity, imagination and above all the connection with the group are very important: "The improvised music is a creative, intuitive, spontaneous reflection of the personalities and character of the group, an artistic response" (Smilde, Page & Alheit, 2014, p.28). 

However, "Meaningful Music in Healthcare" is based on a similar approach. A small group of musicians play person-centred improvisations for patients and carers. In this case, patients choose an improvisation according to their preferences: describing a landscape, a memory or a song that they would particularly like to hear. 

In both projects, the connection with both the patients and the musicians is a feature to be highlighted. The environments that are generated also create both physical and mental awareness, since "the underlying focus of the improvisation is connecting to the present moment" (Smilde, Page & Alheit, 2014, p.28).