Exploring the Lived Experiences of Instrumental Ensemble Performers With Dalcroze Eurhythmics: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Catrien Wentink,Liesl Van Der Merwe

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00336

Abstract

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is to explore the way that instrumental ensemble performers understand their experiences of Dalcroze Eurhythmics while preparing the Tango and Charleston of the jazz ballet La revue de Cuisine by Bohuslav Martinů. The participants of this study were the members of an ad hoc ensemble, which included both authors. Data included semi-structured interviews and reflections by the first author during and after the five Dalcroze sessions. The six emergent super-ordinate themes were: (1). Heightened awareness of music, time, space and energy; (2). Beneficial for relationships in the ensemble; (3). Improved musicianship; (4). Enjoyment and feeling good; (5). Informing pedagogy; and (6). Social and cognitive challenges. Implications of this study suggest that Dalcroze experiences link with Csikszentmihalyi’s description of the experience of “flow.” Experiences of flow are very positive emotions, which will be beneficial for the performers in any instrumental ensemble.

Highlights

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to explore how instrumental ensemble performers understood their experiences of Dalcroze Eurhythmics while they were preparing the Tango and Charleston of La revue de Cuisine by Bohuslav Martinu
Juntunen (2004, p. 15) defined Dalcroze Eurhythmics as “an approach to music education that builds on the ideas of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze” and as such it can be seen as a “process for awakening, developing and refining innate musicality through rhythmic movement, ear-training and improvisation . . . that focuses awareness on the physical demands of artistic performance” (Carnegie Mellon University, 2019)
Did Dalcroze Eurhythmics help instrumental ensemble performers to become more aware of the interactions between the different parts in the music, but socially they become more aware of each other, which becomes clear in the discussion of the theme

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to explore how instrumental ensemble performers understood their experiences of Dalcroze Eurhythmics while they were preparing the Tango and Charleston of La revue de Cuisine by Bohuslav Martinu. Juntunen (2004, p. 15) defined Dalcroze Eurhythmics as “an approach to music education that builds on the ideas of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze” and as such it can be seen as a “process for awakening, developing and refining innate musicality through rhythmic movement, ear-training and improvisation . . . that focuses awareness on the physical demands of artistic performance” (Carnegie Mellon University, 2019).The three principal branches of this approach are rhythmics, solfége and improvisation (Le Collège de l’institut Jaques-Dalcroze, 2009, p. 4). 15) defined Dalcroze Eurhythmics as “an approach to music education that builds on the ideas of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze” and as such it can be seen as a “process for awakening, developing and refining innate musicality through rhythmic movement, ear-training and improvisation . The three principal branches of this approach are rhythmics, solfége and improvisation In solfége the awareness of pitch and relationships between pitches is heightened as well as the memory of Dalcroze Eurhythmics Experiences of Performers different timbres “improvisation is one of the most important abilities or tools” in Dalcroze Eurhythmics The teacher uses improvisation for different activities and the students improvise in response to the teacher’s improvisations. Nivbrant Wedin (2015, 217) described this approach as entailing “an attitude, a way of thinking.” Juntunen (2004, p. 17) defined Dalcroze Eurhythmics as an example of the way to ground music teaching in embodied experiences

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Discussion

Conclusion