Although an extensive literature exists on creativity and music, there is a lack of published research investigating possible links between musical creativity and Csikszentmihalyi's concept of flow or optimal experience. This article examines a group composition task to study the relationships between creativity, flow and the quality of the compositions produced. First-year university students (n = 45) worked on a group composition task during three meetings. Each time the students met, they completed a detailed questionnaire that assessed aspects of each student's experience of the group compositional process using an 'experience sampling form' based on Csikszentmihalyi's previous work. Completed compositions were recorded and rated for quality and creativity by the participants and by a group of music education specialists (n= 24). Results indicated a number of ways in which the specialists' assessments of quality related to the students' assessments of creativity and flow. The study provides an example of a research method that can be used to further our understanding of the processes and outcomes of group music composition tasks. The discussion also considers a number of important ways that the concept of flow can be utilized within a music education context

This study was designed to examine any links between the concept of flow or optimal experience and the creative output of student compositions. The creative products of group compositions by university students ( n=45) were rated for creativity and on a number of standard criteria and compared with scores obtained from Experience Sampling Forms (Csikszentmihalyi and Csikszentmihalyi, 1988) completed by each participant. A significant correlation was found between optimal experience or flow levels of students and the quality of their group compositions as measured by creativity ratings. Some implications for educators and learners in themusic classroom are explored and a proposed self-directed learning tool is discussed. Some of the issues on the assessment of creativity in music raised by Sheridan and Byrne (2002) are also discussed. This paper highlights the subjective nature of existing assessment procedures, considering whether examiners need extended criteria as opposed to a single dimension of creativity. The formative assessment nature of the flow paradigm is also explored

This study investigated the effects of musical stimuli on Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) interpretations. Sixty participants created written interpretations of 8 TAT pictures. Twenty participants listened to music rated as having a positive emotional valence in a pilot study. 20 listened to music as having a negative emotional valence in a pilot study and a further 20 participants created TAT interpretations without musical stimulation. Results highlight that the emotional valence of background musical stimuli influenced the participants' interpretations of pictorial information. Specifically, the affective direction of participants'interpretations was found to be significantly related to the type of musical stimuli.Findings are discussed with reference to music and emotions literature highlighting the multifaceted way in which music impacts aspects of daily life.(1) Address

No abstract