Projecting the Phenomenon of Creativity in Musical Composition

Doctoral student: Sigitas Mickis
Supervisors: Prof. Vaclovas Augustinas, Prof. Habil. Dr. Gražina Daunoravičienė
Department: Composition
Intended duration: 2014–2018

Abstract

Sigitas Mickis

The object of the present artistic research is musical creativity. The research aim is to provide guidelines for applying and assessing creative composing of music. The research methodology is observation (of personal experience) and systematic analysis.

Creativity is treated as an amalgam of ‘suitable’ and ‘new’ features (according to Sternberg and Lubart 1999). Three levels of these features are distinguished in the music creation process: the one of musical parameters, that of thinking strategies and the level of an artwork. Research into these levels looks at the components of the ‘process’ and ‘product’ of creativity (according to J. M. Rhodes’ 4P research model). The process of creativity is defined as addressing of issues by reviewing the prospects for a solution in the context of possibilities. The musical parameters’ level looks at the possibilities of creative composing from the aspects of rhythm, tones, harmony, melos, counterpoint and form (from the cognitive aspect, according to Narmour, 1992). These possibility aspects are being functionally linked on the thinking strategies’ level by distinguishing verbal, hierarchical, linear, harmonic, instrumental, ambient and technological alternatives of creating music (according to Mickis, 2014). The level of an artwork looks at the influence of thinking strategies on the creativity of a piece of art and at how the recourse influence of the entirety of an artwork affects the lower levels of creativity.

Keywords: creativity, composing of music, application of creative composing, possibilities of creative application of musical parameters, musical thinking strategies, the value of the creativity of a musical piece.