Exploring self-regulation, co-regulation and musical agency in an eight year old piano student

Abstract

There is a wide consensus, that it takes 10 000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve mastery, however this long road is not easy to follow. Self-regulation, co-regulation and musical agency are important aspects of deliberate practice, and as these concepts are budding in the beginner student it is important to investigate how they affect the early stages of practicing. This study aims to deepen the understanding of how self-regulation, co-regulation and musical agency influences an eight year old piano student's practicing. This study was conducted as a single case study using video recorded practising sessions and the findings are presented as a synthesis of the data building on the theoretical framework of G. McPherson and J. Renwick (2001). The results suggest that the developing musical agency of the student supports her negotiations of self-regulation, but can be a hindrance in a co-regulated environment.