First Remembrances of Creative Musical Activity

• Other Authors: Woodward, Gregory A. (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Music
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-0774

The purpose of this study was to examine creative musical development through a multidisciplinary review of literature and college student metanarratives, which focused on first remembrances of music creativity and developmental events that led to and followed first remembrances. Initial information was gathered through surveys. An interview format was used in order to obtain more in-depth information. The interviewee sample included 20 students at a large university in a southeastern state. This group of interviewees included 15 music majors and 5 non-music majors. The music majors were further divided into the following categories: (a) music education, (b) music business, (c) music composition, and (d) Bachelor of Arts in music. All of the interviewees had participated in creative musical activity, and they provided a wide range of ages for their first remembrances of creative musical activity. The age of a first remembrance was partially determined by the student's willingness to label a particular activity with a creative term such as improvisation or composition. This researcher examined creative development through four categories of influence: (a) what are interpretive frameworks for creative development, (b) where and with whom does creativity occur, (c) how does creativity occur, and (d) why does creativity occur. The interviewees' perceptions of past experiences and inner motivation appeared to determine their willingness to create. All of the interviewees appeared to be willing to create music during childhood even though their social contexts often did not promote such activity. During adolescence, some of the interviewees successfully engaged in creative musical activity independently or in a comfortable social setting. Upon reaching adulthood, students who had successfully participated in creative musical activities at the adolescent level continued to do so, but a desire to create appeared to override the absence of past creative experiences. Thus, music creativity appeared to be accessible even for adult students with minimal formal music training, particularly in the form of creative thinking. These students may be willing to think creatively with music or about music if they are shown the importance of music in their identities. === A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2006. === Date of Defense: October 6, 2006. === Music Development, Popular Music, Music Creativity, Improvisation, Composition === Includes bibliographical references. === Clifford K. Madsen, Professor Directing Dissertation; Brian Gaber, Professor Directing Dissertation; Charles Brewer, Outside Committee Member; Judy Bowers, Committee Member.