Transcultural Improvisation as a Diplomatic Resource

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the decision-making processes of musicians during transcultural improvisation. My focus was specifically on situations where the musicians represent different cultural backgrounds and ways of creating or perceiving music. Studies on improvisation in transcultural context are scarce. I wanted to find out what kind of mindsets the musicians present when improvising together in those situations, and how those mindsets could be developed in pedagogical contexts.

I used qualitative methods of arts-based study and instrumental case study. I started the research process by facilitating an improvising session with three musicians, including myself, who all came from different continents. For helping to remember and to identify the decisions we made while improvising, we used the method of stimulated recall. In practise this meant that the improvisation session was recorded and listened through immediately afterwards, each part at its own turn. After each part, we verbally described what kind of decisions we had made during improvising and how we ended up making them. After that, I transcribed all data, coded the recurring words and gathered up other relevant thoughts brought up by the participants. Based those I brought up four most relevant themes: experimenting mindset and evolving identity as an improviser, realising the need to exit the familiar ground and comfort zone, qualities that helped in finding the common ground and musicians finding it natural to seek equal roles instead of being in charge of the direction alone. I familiarised myself with the relevant background literature on the themes, which I will cover in the chapter Conceptual framework and reflected on how those compare to my own findings.

The outcome of the study identified following kinds of elements in the musicians’ mindsets: open-mindedness, interest to experiment, an aim to be inclusive, and a growth mindset. Many elements connected to the participants describing wanting to explore and evolve, which presented a learner identity. The participants expressed willingness to exit their comfort zones for greater good, which in this context was the goal of involving everyone equally to the decision-making. The mindsets presented were found helpful for establishing a space for diplomatic creating processes in transcultural improvisation. Diplomacy in the context of transcultural improvisation is understood in this study as a process of musical negotiation, where the musicians can experience contributing meaningfully to the music even when differences arise, and compromises need to be made. As a central principle that the musicians used as basis for their decision-making, my study displays a constant reflection about how much space they were giving to others and taking oneself. Hence, this study adds cultural responsibility and reflection of one’s own position in relation to others to the list of elements used as basis for decision-making during free group improvisation.