Improvisation and the Modern Orchestral Musician. A Critical Analysis of the Performer’s Agency in the Contemporary Concert Hall

Abstract: Improvisation is a critical skill for musicians across nearly all genres and eras, however, to the modern orchestral musician, it is mainly a lost art. A study into the history, techniques, and traditions of improvisation details not only new ways to explore and develop performance practice of the instrument itself but also to train the ears and sensibilities of a musician. Analyses of improvisatory traditions within Western classical music as well as in jazz and contemporary music highlight the importance of several skills not often considered in formal training for orchestral musicians. These include: heightened awareness of harmony, more intuitive communication between players and audience, increased mental and physical agility, and the ability to access flow and uncover one’s true voice. A more intuitive, skillful, conscientious, and expressive musician emerges from such studies. On a personal level, I want to approach classical music from new perspectives in order to regain my passion for music. After many years of institutionalized exploration of the Western tradition, I have developed a very critical and sometimes close-minded approach to music. The aim of this research is to further develop my skills on the violin while gaining a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the performer’s individual voice and the agency as a musician to bring life to the music we play. Instead of directing my efforts on what an establishment has more or less subjectively deemed as perfection, my goal in studying improvisation is to develop my own concept of sound quality, freedom of expression and interpretation, as well as the ability to quickly understand a piece harmonically and to play intuitively in a group. This is a study in equipping an artist with the tools to bring unique, relevant, and meaningful ideas to many contexts.