This research idea came to mind some time ago after I had lost enjoyment practicing and performing with my flute. I wondered, where the inspiration had gone that I used to feel and that had guided me to become a professional flute player? Some other questions followed: why do I feel great playing sometimes and other times not at all? Why am I not performing as well as I can play during practice?
Around the time I started having these questions, I started to experience stage fright, which I had never before.
This research refers to the subject of Flow and the road I took to reach that state. I organised this report according to the Artistic Research requirements of Codarts. I divided the research in three sections called cycles that contain zero-point recordings, feedback, data collection, intervention, endrecordings and results. The first cycle concerns grounding and body awareness, the second cycle refers to Flow in audition and the third cycle relates to the Mozart flute Concerto in G major k313, which is an important piece of the flute repertoire, and how I reached a Flow state playing this piece.
At first with this research, I thought I would find techniques or exercises that would help me master my level of playing during performances and auditions. I actually discovered a much deeper inner-self and body-awareness. I found out that I am much stronger than I ever imagined. My experiments and results concern my playing and my personality and I hope this work will inspire people to seek their own way to Flow.
This journey made me grow as a musician and as a person and brought Flow in my life, which has led to true and deep happiness.