Page 69 - How to Shine on Stage

Unfortunately, improvisation is seldom included in music education
(Bačlija Sušić et al., 2019; Korošec et al., 2022), with the exception of jazz
(Biasutti, 2017). In the 19th century, improvisation was marginalized in
formal music education in favour of playing by notation (Sarath, 2013).
Certain skills, such as playing by ear or making music, are still ne-
glected today, as music education guidelines demand clear and meas-
urable outcomes that correspond to a materialistic mental orientation.
The product of improvisation cannot be determined in advance and it is
therefore difficult to prove the impact of its learning (Higgins & Mantie, 67
2013; Sarath, 2013). And although there are some trends of re-introduc-
tion of improvisation in the curriculum, it is rarely taught in practice, es-
pecially in classical music (Biasutti, 2017).
Improvisation enables the achievement of the optimal performance
state, namely flow (Biasutti & Frezza, 2009; Biasutti, 2015). It also helps
to develop diverse musical skills such as expression and communication,
audiation and playing by ear (Higgins & Mantie, 2013), it promotes di-
vergent thinking and improves musical performance (Menard, 2013),
it increases musical awareness (Kratus, 1991), and often contributes to
higher self-confidence and motivation to persevere in musical activi- Indirect Factors of Musical Performance Success
ty (Gruenhagen, 2017). Similarly, improvisation increases the trust be-
tween musicians improvising together (Hart et al., 2014; Monk, 2013),
serves as a means of expressing a musician’s identity (Smilde, 2016), and
facilitates self-actualization in musicians (MacDonald et al., 2006).
In accordance with these transferential benefits of musical improvi-
sation, many researchers highlight the role of improvisation as a process
enabling students to be more reflexive about their own musical actions
(Biasutti, 2017) and guiding them towards the value of exploring new
musical expressions, thus freeing them from the established boundaries
of right and wrong (Higgins & Mantie, 2013).
Improvisation skills also have a strong bearing on musical perfor-
mance success: the listed positive effects shape the performer’s positive
self-image and offer the performer the pleasure of spontaneous musical
(co)creation. Improvisation as a form of practice should therefore be in-
cluded in the music education system from the very beginning of the
learning of an instrument/singing, and it should be encouraged at all
levels of music education.

2.1.7.1.3 Practicing Playing by Ear and Playing by Heart
Playing by ear, based on the capacity to “think in sound” and combining
eye, ear, and hand coordination, is common in many musically gifted