In this bachelor thesis, I explored vocal improvisation and the terms “out playing” and “in playing”. My ambition was to find new ways of exploring and developing my approach to improvisation, depending on the difficulty of the harmony. I presented a few methods that I have found useful in this process.     Focusing on the upcoming graduation concert, I wrote two new songs with my thesis in mind and then applied the improvisation methods. I also practiced using the methods while singing jazz standards and older original compositions.   In the last part of the essay, I reflected on if and how the different methods helped me in becoming more confident as an improviser. I came to the conclusion that I prefered singing “out” over simple chords than “in” over difficult ones but that I needed to work on both to achieve my improvisational goals. I also described why choosing musicians that made me feel safe was essential and how the graduation concert was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. / <p>Abyss (Lovisa Jennervall), Giving in (Lovisa Jennervall), Hours (Lovisa Jennervall), Time for us (Lovisa Jennervall), For all we know (J. Fred Coots och Sam M. Lewis), When I grow too old to dream (Sigmund Romberg och Oscar Hammerstein II), Allt som börjar måste ha ett slut (Lovisa Jennervall)</p><p>Medverkande:Lovisa Jennervall - sång; Manne Skafvenstedt - piano; Anders Langørgen - kontrabas; Edvin Fridolfsson - trummor; Sebastian Jonsson - saxofon</p>

Listening and presence are essential skills of co-creative group improvisation. The purpose of this project was to construct a series of spoken games and musical exercises with the goal of enhancing the players’ sense of interpersonal awareness in improvised music settings. The playing of these games encouraged the ear and mind to warm-up and tune in to both the musical intentions of the other players in the group, as well as the types of interaction and stimuli that might occur during improvised performance. By encouraging playfulness within the games, while simultaneously maintaining the freedom to diverge from these forms, environments of co-creation could be facilitated. These games and exercises have the flexibility to be used either as a warm-up during rehearsals, a primer for an improvised performance, or more directly as parts of compositions. In this, the project explores: how to create useful and challenging exercises, how adjusting the parameters of the challenge affected both the performers and the musical outcome, and finally, how to utilise these musical outcomes in a concert setting. As well as providing new approaches to musical direction and composition, the project has also led to personal growth in the form of noticeable developments in listening, presence, and interaction through utilising this approach in group improvisations.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Ce travail analyse les processus de personnalisation dans les trajectoires de 23 danseurs improvisateurs, dans une approche psychologique. La danse improvisée est associée à un partage intersubjectif (Bigé, 2015) et à un état d’écoute (Guisgand, 2006) : le développement de cette écoute est ici étudié. Ses dimensions d’incertitude (Azaïs, Bachir-Loopuyt & Saint-Germier, 2010) et de recherche de liberté (Kintzler, 2006) associent l’improvisation à une pratique personnalisante, en référence aux théorisations de ce processus (Malrieu, 1979 ; 1994 ; 1995 ; Baubion-Broye, Dupuy & Prêteur, 2013). Des entretiens semi-directifs sont menés ainsi que des analyses thématique et par catégories conceptualisantes (Paillé & Mucchielli, 2012). Nous avons mis en exergue des tensions, des activités de signification et des réorganisations psychologiques et physiques dans les parcours de ces improvisateurs. Leur réflexivité vis-à-vis de leur pratique pousse ces danseurs à des prises de conscience et des analyses critiques : certains ne veulent plus répéter des mouvements ni improviser sans objectif. L’improvisation leur permet alors, par sa dimension de création, de se singulariser. Certains d’entre eux rencontrent des doutes sur leur capacité ou celle des autres à communiquer, à se connecter aux autres. Ils donnent alors à leur pratique de la danse des sens nouveaux : se lier aux autres, aider et coopérer. Créer dans l’instant les centre sur leur corps au moment présent et coopérer favorise l’écoute : ceci consolide la conscience de soi. Le fait de créer leurs propres mouvements et de dépasser ce qu’ils ont appris nourrit leurs besoins de dépassement et de liberté. Improviser permet donc à ces danseurs de se singulariser et de prendre conscience d’eux-mêmes : c’est une pratique personnalisante qui participe à la construction de soi. / The present study aims to analyse personalization processes in the trajectories of 23 improvisational dancers. Improvised dance refers to intersubjective sharing (Bigé, 2015) and listening state (Guisgand, 2006): the development of this listening is studied here. Through its dimensions of uncertainty (Azaïs, Bachir-Loopuyt & Saint-Germier, 2010) and quest for freedom (Kintzler, 2006), improvisation combines with a personalization practice in reference to the theorizations of this process (Malrieu, 1979, 1994, 1995; Baubion-Broye, Dupuy & Prêteur, 2013). Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Two types of results analysis were used: thematic and through conceptualizing categories (Paillé & Mucchielli, 2012). These results highlight tensions, meaning activities and psychological reorganizations. Becoming aware of formatting, these dancers critically analyse their practises, in order not to repeat learned movements neither improvise without precise goal. The rejection of standard movements leads them to stand out through a personalizing process of creation. Some of them doubt about their ability or the ability of others to communicate, to interconnect. Those of them who are concerned with the lack of communication are trying to bring closer to others through danced improvisation : they cooperate. Cooperation makes them improve their listening and create spontaneously makes them centered on their bodies, which tends to consolidate their self-awareness. Creating their own movements and going beyond what they have learned feeds their need for overtaking and freedom.Through these processes of self-awareness and singularization, they personalize and build themselves.

For a practice that has influenced the development of most of the musical techniques and compositional forms of Western music (Ferand, 1965, p.5), 'improvisation' is challenging to define. Recently, the graded music examinations offered by the two largest UK-based music examination boards, the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London (TCL), have added options to assess improvisation within their instrumental curricula without clearly defining what they mean by 'improvisation' or how they assess it. This thesis argues that the lack of consistent definitions by the two leading examination boards results in a lack validity and meaning since it is unclear to examination stakeholders (music teachers, students, examiners and syllabus authors) exactly what is being assessed and how. This thesis investigates how 'improvisation' is defined, practiced, assessed and perceived within instrumental graded musical examinations. Evidence addressing the perspectives of the teaching-and-learning stakeholders is drawn from case-study observations and interviews of instrumental music lessons while candidates prepared for and completed an examination requiring improvisation. The perspectives of the examination board stakeholders are investigated through document analysis of the syllabuses, curricula and institutional websites of the examination boards in addition to interviews with examination board executives. The findings provide an initial investigation into an unexplored intersection of music education, improvisation and the business of graded examination boards. A clearer understanding emerges of the cultural and social practices of improvisation both inside and outside of the hegemony of graded examinations and the teaching-and- learning communities that support them. The findings of this thesis challenge the examination boards and bring more clarity to their assessment practices. and can help guide music teachers and students through the currently unclear landscape of improvisation in the ABRSM and TCL examinations.

Hochschule für Musik, Diss.--Würzburg, 2007.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Improvisation är ett ämne som många både studerar och utövar men det är ofta svårt att hitta mer generella strategier för att improvisera som visar hur själva improvisationsprocessen går till. Syftet med studien är att hitta de strategier jag använder mig av när jag improviserar. Genom att analysera ett solo jag spelar och leta efter; de förutsättningar som påverkar improvisationen, strategier jag använder och förhållningssätt jag har till improvisation klargör den här studien en del av vad det innebär att improvisera fram musik. Den metod jag använt är videoinspelning där jag spelat in ett uppspel som jag anser är den naturliga miljö för mig att improvisera i. Det teoretiska perspektiv jag använt är fenomenologi. Resultaten visar att en improvisation är ett resultat av att en improvisatörs estetiska val av toner byggs ihop till olika mönster. Dessa mönster kommer från idéer som är grundade i improvisatörens förkunskaper, ens kunskapsbas. För att maximera användandet av denna kunskapsbas framkommer det i studien att jag som improvisatör har kunskap om stilen ifråga samt har förmågan att använda mitt instrumentalgehör i kombination med mina tekniska färdigheter. Därigenom frambringar jag toner och fraser på mitt instrument utifrån de idéer jag hör i huvudet. Denna studie presenterar användbara begrepp för att diskutera den process som är improvisation utifrån ett jazz/fusion-perspektiv. / Improvisation is a topic, which many both study and practice but it's often difficult to find more general strategies on how to improvise and which shows the improvisational process. The purpose of this study is to find the strategies I use when I improvise. By analyzing a solo I play while looking for; conditions that affect the improvisation, strategies I use and the approach I have towards improvisation this study clarifies a part of what it means to improvise music. The method I have used is video recording where I have recorded a concert, which may be considered the natural environment in which I improvise. The theoretical perspective I have used is phenomenology. The results show that an improvisation is a result of the improviser’s aesthetic selection of tones that is combined into different patterns. These patterns come from ideas based of the improvisers previous knowledge, his/hers base of knowledge. To maximize the use of one's base of knowledge this study reveals that I as an improviser have knowledge about the style at hand as well as the ability to use my "instrumental ear" in combination with my technical skills. I thereby produce tones and phrases on the instrument from the ideas I hear in my head. This study presents useful concepts to be able to discuss this process of improvisation from a jazz/fusion-perspective.

In this study I research and reflect on the way I have been practicing with my saxophone, how I have been collaborating with others and how I’ve worked with performance during my two master years, with a focus on improvisation. The study is a presentation of my Professional Integration Project on NAIP-European Master of Music-program. I have had many different projects that will be presented. By playing, listening, and analyzing free improvisation I wanted to learn more about myself as a musician and about improvisation in general. I am also going to present individual exercises for improvisation I’ve been using, as well as exercises for group improvisation. I am going to present time-lines of events to see how one thing leads to another. I will present the product of a piece with improvised aspects, that led me and my collaborators to find our own ways of rehearsing. By summarizing the many aspects, I present my findings by describing what I want to learn, and how I want to learn it, and how I’ve been working with free improvisation groups and music collaboration, and what is important for me while performing improvisations. The findings of my studies suggest that I have developed my improvisational skills by playing free improvisation and doing exercises. My projects has also shown that you can combine written music with improvisational aspects in a classical setting by using different ways of rehearsing. Lastly, I found that it is important that, while improvising, musicians have a total mental presence to avoid energy loss in the music. / <p>Självständiga arbete, Master, 40 hp.</p><p>Program examenskonsert:</p><p>ImprovisationKvintett</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Linnea Andreassen röst, Maiju Kopra röst, Viktor Rydén röst, Amanda Larsson röst.</p><p>Jesper ErikssonKvartett (2014), uruppförande</p><p>Alexander Rydberg violin, Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Emma Augustsson cello, Anton Svanberg tuba.</p><p>ImprovisationTrio</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Jaan Krivel röst och klarinett, Kristoffer Linder slagverk</p><p>Extranummer: Friimprovisationsorkester</p><p>Jesper Eriksson saxofon, Alexander Rydberg violin, Emma Augustsson cello, Anton Svanberg tuba, Linnea Andreassen röst, Maiju Kopra röst, Viktor Rydén röst, Amanda Larsson röst, Jaan Krivel röst och klarinett, Kristoffer Linder slagverk, Bernhard Greter piano.</p>

Studiens syfte är att se hur jag som trumslagare arbetar – och upplever arbetet – med att förbättra min förmåga att improvisera med en tydlig röd tråd. Under cirka tre månader video- och loggboksdokumenterade jag min övning för att se vilka metoder och strategier som användes för att utveckla det solistiska improvisationsspelet. I resultatet framgår att begräsningar är ett viktigt och flitigt använt verktyg under övningen. Genom att sätta upp ramar för improvisationen ökade min förmåga att bli medveten om vad som spelades och jag hade därför större kontroll över mitt spel vid speltillfället. I de fall då något tekniskt svårt övades användes två metoder, att öva en längre figur långsamt eller en del av figuren snabbt. Båda dessa användes framgångsrikt. I diskussionen ställer jag mina egna resultat i relation till annan litteratur och forskning på området. Jag analyserar även delar av mitt resultat ur ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv. / The purpose of this study is to examine how I, as a drummer, practice in order to improve my ability of improvising a clear idea. During approximately three months I videotaped and kept a logbook of my practice to find which methods and strategies were used to improve my improvisational solo performance. The result shows that the use of limitations is a powerful and frequently used tool during the practice. By implementing restrictions on the improvisation, my awareness of what I played increased granting me greater control of my performance. When something technically challenging was practiced two methods were used, to practice a longer passage slowly or a part of the passage fast. Both were used successfully. In the discussion I compare my own results with those of other literature and research on the subject. I also analyze parts of my result from a phenomenological point of view.