This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of expert performing musicians and the relationship between the flow and clutch optimal performance states. Five professional pianists were interviewed to gain an understanding of their experiences of optimal performance states during performance. The study took a constructivist-interpretivist approach situated in the phenomenological paradigm. It made use of multiple case studies, and data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as proposed by Smith, Flower and Larkin (2009). Three superordinate themes were identified: Performance-related experiences of flow; The experience of clutch and choke during performance; and Coping skill and performance conditions, which were all discussed relative to ten subordinate themes. It was found that flow and clutch experiences in a music context are predominantly similar to those found in other contexts such as sport. Flow and clutch experiences in a musical context were shown to be distinctive from other fields due to specific task completion requirements. By comparing findings to the proposed Integrated Model of Flow and Clutch by Swann et al. (2017b, 2017c), findings show that the model adequately represents flow as an antecedent of clutch in a music context, and the results provide detailed insights on the experience of optimal performance states in expert performing musicians. The study concludes that clutch is a deeper element of flow, and these optimal performance states are experienced in many similar and distinctive ways compared to existing research in sport psychology. Various non-cognitive traits play a large role in an individual’s ability to obtain and successfully maintain flow and clutch performance states. / Dissertation (MMus (Performing Art))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Music / MMus (Performing Art) / Unrestricted

Submitted by LEONARDO CASARIN KAMINSKI null (00539617067) on 2017-05-26T06:21:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 KAMINSKI Leonardo C - 2017 - TESE.pdf: 4549779 bytes, checksum: b111796649ce466bd2fb49cee39ec537 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-05-30T16:33:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 kaminski_lc_dr_ia.pdf: 4549779 bytes, checksum: b111796649ce466bd2fb49cee39ec537 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-30T16:33:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 kaminski_lc_dr_ia.pdf: 4549779 bytes, checksum: b111796649ce466bd2fb49cee39ec537 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O presente trabalho trata da preparação, realização e avaliação da performance em música de câmara, mais precisamente, sobre os níveis e presença do estresse da ansiedade envolvidos nessa prática. Partiu-se da premissa de que seja possível desenvolver estratégias para otimizar o controle dos níveis de ansiedade e do estresse na performance de músicos cameristas, visando a excelência na performance nesse processo. A ocorrência e sintomas psicopatológicos diferem- se em atividades individuais e coletivas, motivando o autor a realizar a pesquisa com grupos de câmara. A metodologia empregada mesclou pesquisa bibliográfica (onde foi realizada uma revisão da literatura concentrada em publicações dos principais congressos brasileiros ocorridos nos últimos anos e em publicações de autores de referência na área de cognição musical) e pesquisa de campo (na qual foram aplicados dois inventários, o K-MPAI e o ISSL, respectivamente, sobre ansiedade na performance musical e estresse, além de um Questionário adicional sobre hábitos cotidianos do músico). O trabalho está organizado em quatro capítulos: 1) Revisão da literatura; 2) Metodologia e estratégia de ação, 3). Discussão dos resultados da consulta e revisão e 4) Sugestões de estratégias para o enfrentamento do estresse e da ansiedade na performance camerística. As discussões cruzando revisão de literatura e pesquisa de campo permitiram identificar possíveis geradores de estresse e ansiedade na performance musical bem como elaborar algumas sugestões de procedimentos que podem ser adotados na preparação e realização da performance musical de grupos de câmara. / The present work deals with the preparation for performance, the performance itself and its evaluation in chamber music, more precisely what concerns to control of levels and presence of anxiety stress involved in this practice. The argument was based on strategies that would be developed to optimize levels of anxiety and stress of musicians to achieve the excellence in performance in these processes. The occurrence and psychopathological symptoms could be distinct in individual and collective activities, motivating the author to carry out the current research with chamber music groups. The methodology used merged bibliographical research (review of the literature with publications from main Brazilian congresses, occurred in the last years and assigned publications in area of musical cognition) and field research (in which two inventories were applied, K-MPAI and ISSL, respectively, on anxiety in musical performance and stress, as well as an additional questionnaire on daily habits of the musician). The work is divided in four chapters: 1) Literature review; 2) Methodology and strategy of action, 3). Discussion of the results with consultation and review; and 4) Suggestions of procedures in the preparation and realization of the musical performance in chamber groups. Discussions across literature review and field research have identified feasible generators of stress and anxiety in musical performance as well as suggest of procedures that can be adopted in the preparation and realization of the musical performance of chamber groups.