The aim of this study is to create an understanding of how music teachers’ experience playing music by heart and how they experience that playing by heart may affect the students when they play music. The empirical material was based on semi-structured interviews with five music teachers from Sweden’s Art and Music Schools (kultur- eller musikskolor in Swedish). A hermeneutic perspective was used as a theoretical framework in order to analyze music teachers’ experience. The results of this study showed that music teachers’ experience of playing music by heart conduct a greater attention to listening and presence. Playing by heart can lead to improvement of playing with others and it may also increase students’ practice. There are different expectations regarding playing music by heart due to genre and instrument. In pop, rock, jazz and piano and also professional musicians there are expectations of playing music by heart. Students’ motivation may be helped by playing music by heart because several students’ have a problem with reading sheet music. This study shows that the experience of a students’ performance is perceived more positively when playing by heart, but it depends on the genre and instrument and their expectations. The understanding of how music teachers’ experience of playing music by heart is the conclusion that the traditions of music influence the music teachers’ perception of the possibilities of their students’ playing music by heart. Most of the student’s prefer playing music by heart rather than reading sheet music. Further conclusions are that music education should be adapted to each and every student due to some students prefer playing by heart and other prefer reading sheet music. By adapting the music education, it enables the students to playing music with joy. Plying music by heart may promote a feeling for the students of “here I am” and “I can do this”.

I denna studie undersöks och jämförs två olika tillvägagångssätt som kan tillämpas för att memorera musik. Syftet med arbetet är att utveckla strategier för att jag enklare ska lära mig spela stycken utantill, detta genom att ställa fysisk och mental memorering mot varandra genom instudering av verk från olika genrer och med varierande komplexitetsgrad. Jag använder också formscheman som analysredskap. Tidigare har jag inte haft något bra sätt att memorera stycken på. Vid framföranden har jag ofta tappat bort mig i musiken. Genom studien fann jag att associativ minnesinkodning var mest effektiv av de valda strategierna, men att de alla utvecklade min instuderings- och memoreringsförmåga. Jag fann även att utantillspel inte är ett måste: det är acceptabelt att spela med noter om jag tycker att det låter bättre. / In this study, two different approaches to memorize music are compared. The purpose of the project is to develop my strategies for performing by heart. By engaging in different memorization processes, music works of different genres and difficultness were learned by heart. Furthermore, music analysis is used as a tool for the memorization. In the past, I didn't have a good strategy for memorizing. During performances, I often got lost while playing. Through the study, I found that content addressable access was the most efficient of the selected strategies. However, all strategies developed my abilities to study and memorize music. I also found that memorization is optional: if I think it sounds better, I will use the score when playing.

The process of memorization of musical pieces and performing without the support of sheet music is often described as ”playing a piece by heart.” This thesis delves into the process of memorization in classical music, with a particular focus on the author's personal journey in practicing the Kodaly’s solo cello sonata, highlighting the utilization of four distinct memory styles: kinesthetic, aural, visual, and analytical memory. Through an examination of each memory style, this study unravels the multifaceted nature of memorization in musical performance. The thesis not only explores the individual contributions of these memory styles but also examines how to combine them during the learning and memorization process. Through examples, the author sheds light on how she integrated these memory styles, achieving a comprehensive understanding of the piece and ultimately being able to perform it by heart. The findings of this study contribute to the broader field of music cognition, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms involved in memorization and performance. It highlights the importance of considering diverse memory styles and their integration in learning effective memorization techniques in classical music. This study can be useful for musicians who want to develop their memorization process and have a good experience from learning and performing pieces by heart. / <p>Program:</p><p>Zoltán Kodály sonata for unaccompanied cello, Op. 8 </p><p>Medverkande:</p><p>Katariina Kolehmainen - cello</p><p>Den klingande delen är arkiverad. The recording of the concert is filed.</p>

Att spela ett stycke utan noter är en viktig aspekt i musicerandet, men trots detta finns få konkreta riktlinjer för hur memoreringsprocessen optimeras, och musiker hittar ofta sin egen väg. Syftet med denna studie var därmed att, ur ett designteoretiskt perspektiv, undersöka vilka resurser som ligger till grund för effektiv memorering. För att undersöka detta testades två memoreringsmetoder, konstruerade i linje med tidigare litteratur och forskning, på två Intermezzo av Brahms. Metod ett baserades på mekanisk inlärning utan analys, och metod två baserades på harmonikanalys. Videoobservation och loggbok användes för att dokumentera arbetet för varje metod, och effektiviteten mättes genom antal använda timmar. Resultatet visade att metod två i större utsträckning utnyttjade konceptuellt ramverk jämfört med metod ett, men att metoderna i övrigt liknade varandra i använda resurser. Metod två (5 timmar 15 minuter) var dessutom mer tidseffektiv jämfört med metod ett (14 timmar 20 minuter). I tillägg till den förbättrade effektiviteten bidrog dessutom metod två till större medvetenhet i musicerandet, vilket i sin tur ledde till ökad motivation för memorering. I diskussionen undersöks studiens resultat i relation till tidigare litteratur och forskning. / Playing a piece by heart is an important aspect of being a musician, despite this there are few concrete guidelines for how the memorization process is optimized, and musicians often find their own way. The purpose of this study was therefore to, from a design theory perspective, investigate which resources underlie effective memorization. To investigate this, two memorization methods, constructed in line with previous literature and research, were tested on two Intermezzo by Brahms. Method one was based on mechanical learning without analysis, method two was based on harmonics analysis. Video observation and logbook were used to document the process, efficiency was measured by utilized hours. Results showed that method two depended more on conceptual framework compared to method one, the methods were however similar in other used resources. Method two (5 hours 15 minutes) was more time-efficient than method one (14 hours 20 minutes). In addition to the improved efficiency, method two contributed to greater awareness in the memorization process, which in turn led to increased motivation for memorization. The discussion examines the study's results in relation to previous literature and research.