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Arts & Communication Ethnographic study of creative dynamics in music

are not merely physiological or psychological phenomena, facilitates detailed insights, as participants share their ideas
nor are they left to chance or individual initiative. Their and beliefs on various topics related to musical creativity
manifestation and bodily expression follow conventions during the practices, allowing researchers to gather more
that, while similar to language, remain distinct. Emotions comprehensive data than would otherwise be possible.
emerge from a conscious or semiconscious evaluation of According to Victor Turner, creative environments
an event by individuals who respond according to their often emerge in flexible, playful settings, free from rigid
own sensitivity. 7 routines. This aligns with the design of the musical
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Extensive research in musical literature has explored creation laboratory, which promotes free expression and
the role of emotional factors in creative environments, experimentation by departing from traditional music
revealing that emotions play a crucial role in shaping education practices. The laboratory emerged from research
1
creative expression and collaboration. 8-10 However, a recent centered on creativity in music , founded on freedom as
systematic review by Peters et al. highlights the scarcity the driving force of creative development. Like Turner’s
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of high-quality empirical studies specifically addressing idea of “interstitial spaces,” the laboratory aims to create
how music-making affects emotional regulation. While a relaxed and interactive environment where people can
emotional and psychological support is recognized as vital freely explore different musical aspects of themselves, as
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for fostering creativity, the anthropological dimensions of well as their emotions, thoughts, behaviors, values, beliefs,
emotional and creative experiences remain underexplored and experiences. The laboratory also encourages intuitive
in music research, with the study conducted by Ruth learning, allowing participants to expand their creativity
in a flexible, open space. Activities follow a workshop-
Finnegan on music, experience, and the anthropology of style approach, using modern pedagogical practices and
emotion being cited as one of the few references on this musical languages explored by contemporary composers.
subject. This gap in understanding points to a broader Rather than a strict method, this approach is seen as a
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perspective on creativity. More than just generating flexible process, acknowledging that it is impossible to
something novel, the act of creation also involves control every aspect of creative work. 15
reinterpreting and assigning new meanings to existing
elements. Creativity is not an isolated individual effort but In this sense, the activities in the laboratory focus on
a collective cultural phenomenon that both reflects and music education, distinguishing themselves from non-
transforms society. Emotional factors, intertwined with reflective teaching that merely transmits content related to
these processes, not only influence personal expression but tradition and culture. Music education in the laboratory
also shape the shared cultural manifestations that emerge promotes reflection as an integral part of the learning
through music. process, where the learner is not a passive recipient of
information but a co-creator, building knowledge through
In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate
the multifaceted nature of human creativity, with a focus engagement. Music is valued not only for its professional
aspects or its role in socialization but, above all, for its
on its anthropological and emotional dimensions. The function as a facilitator of expression, communication,
article explores how the act of creation reorganizes existing and human sensitivity. Music education goes beyond
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cultural elements to generate new meanings and how preparing individuals for music; it prepares them for
emotions and life experiences contribute to this process. life through music, encouraging constant reflection
The study was conducted by the Research Group on throughout the teaching–learning process.
Musical Creativity at the Federal University of Rio Grande,
Brazil, an interdisciplinary team of researchers in music, Musical creation workshops are deemed experimental,
psychology, and anthropology. The ethnographic research as they do not follow the traditional practices used in music
focused on the testimonies of musicians who participated in schools. By encouraging creative freedom, the workshops
a musical creation laboratory at the university, highlighting allow participants to experiment with different forms of
the expectations, transformations, and reflections present expression, tools, and techniques, without the pressure
in their narratives. of adhering to established norms or models. Participants
are not required to read musical scores, as is typical in
2. Where and how does creation happen? traditional methods, especially in classical music, nor are
The methodological approach they bound by theoretical models or limited content, as seen
in approaches based on prior knowledge of popular music
2.1. The musical creation laboratory
The musical creation laboratory is a pedagogical and 1 Research titled “Freedom as a Trigger for Musical Creativity”
research initiative that collects in-depth data on creativity – developed at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG),
through participants’ musical performances. This approach Brazil, by the Pro-Rectorate of Extension and Culture.

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.4782