Intimacy, mutuality & negotiations: Dialogic moments in joint improvisation

Introduction: Joint improvisation between therapist and client is fundamental to most approaches in music therapy practice but is far from being fully understood. The present study aims to shed light on the potential meanings of joint improvisation between therapist and client in music therapy Method: Deploying phenomenological methods, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five musicians and five music therapists, each of whom provided a recorded musical example of their joint improvisations with a client or another musician Results: Two types of dialogic moments emerged across both groups: “primal” and “mature” moments. Primal moments included “Moments of listening and attuning” and “Musical proficiency” (musicians); and “Moments of listening and attuning to the client’s being” and “Transforming the moment” (music therapists). Mature moments incorporated “Moments of forming musical relationships” (musicians); and “Moments of creating a significant bond between therapist and client” (music therapists) Discussion: Mature moments were illustrated as moments where both therapist and client expressed themselves authentically, and often incorporated synchronization discrepancies between them. Amongst the musicians, mature moments involved challenging each other’s boundaries as well as becoming closely and intimately acquainted. Primal moments incorporated the conditions that facilitated dialogues: active listening, active musical gestures and facilitation of augmented musical time frames between therapist and client; and deep listening and musical virtuosity among the musicians. The comparison between the two groups highlighted the music therapists’ technique of creating versatile time frames while inviting their clients to improvise and emphasized the musicians’ capacity to engage in a wide range of musical relationships.