Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to investigate conservatory students’ experiences with free improvisation in a music therapy session. This research is based on an: “explorative qualitative examination that, ontologically, builds upon critical realism, epistemologically takes a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach and makes use of thematic and musical analysis”. The data serving as the focal point for the thematic and musical analysis, is recordings of the conversations and improvisations that took place in a music therapy session, I had with two conservatory students during my internship at a Danish music conservatory.
This analysis displayed the students’ experiences with the various improvisations, and the shift in their attitude towards these improvisations during the session.
The students experienced several occurrences of resistance towards participating in the improvisations, which showed through an anxiety that was linked to the use of their primary instrument and their voice, and to the unfamiliarity of participating in free improvisation. Simultaneously, they wished to participate in the improvisation, which was expressed through a desire to be able to transcend various forms of self-limitation and to experience vitality through the improvisations.
During the session, the students’ attitude towards participating in the improvisations, shifted; most noticeable through a reappraisal of anxiety to excitement.
The analysis, furthermore, shows that the music therapeutic interventions have influenced this development through a CBT, psychodynamic and existentialistic therapeutic inspired approach.