Psychosocial Dispositions of Creative Musicians

D u r g e s h | 1
Department of Psychology | University of Allahabad, Allahabad.
Psychosocial Dispositions of Musicians:
A Developmental Study of Creativity
Durgesh K. Upadhyay
Abstract
The objective of this study was to ascertain those psychological and social dispositions that are conducive to the development of a person as a creative musician. Narrative methodology was used in this study. Research participants consisted of the musicians belonging to Indian system of music known as Hindustani (North Indian) music. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with seven participants. Thematic analysis of the interview protocols yielded four thematic categories – developmental ingredients, behavioral dispositions, preferred settings (mental as well as physical) for Riāz (music practice) and performances, and process of learning and making compositions. The analysis provides insight into development of a person as a creative musician. Findings reveal that musical talent could be an inborn phenomenon but it germinates and flowers through the interactions among these major psychosocial inclinations.
Keywords
Dispositions; creative musicians; narrative methodology; Indian system of music; Riāz
Creativity is an elusive and mystical phenomenon. Though universally valued and cherished, scholars from different fields have attempted to define, measure and locate creativity from different standpoints. Creativity is considered as a defining characteristic of an omnipotent divine creator rather than an attribute of mere fragile mortals in both the eastern and the western worldview. In the biblical book of genesis, God is portrayed as the creator of the cosmos, the earth, and the life. Almost every culture possesses creation myths in which their gods have this veried powers and capacity. Even when individual humans were seen as the locus of creative activity, the causal agents still sprung from a spiritual world. Creativity was the gift of the gods or spirits, not a

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