The Impact of Students’ Creativity in Instrument Education on Performance: Perspectives of Instrument Educators

While creativity is often associated with terms such as innovation, originality and diversity, creativity in instrument training is seen as the ability to interpret an etude or piece performed by the individual in an innovative and unique style. It is considered that creativity and instrument performance are interconnected and it is important for instrument educators to discover the creative potential in students and guide them in reflecting it in performances. In this study, the relationship between creativity and performance was explored using qualitative methods from the perspective of instrument educators. For this purpose, a total of 17 instrument educators working in fine arts high schools and universities were interviewed. The data obtained by using the interview forms were analysed using content analysis examine the educators’ perspectives. It was seen that instrument educators stated that students have creativity potential and that they strive to develop students’ musical ideas, They identified that the most important factor showing creativity in instrument education is improvisation, and that exemplary performances are listened to in the first place at the point of developing creativity. Suggestions have been made to examine the usability of various methods in instrumental education in order to create opportunies for students to develop their creativity.