Practicing and Rehearsing

Abstract

Abstract This article, focusing largely on Western art music including jazz, explores the processes involved in bringing a performance to fruition through the work of practice and rehearsal: a creative ecology of musical action. Framed by sociology and psychology theory and empirical investigation, it considers how rules, structures, and exploration shape musical preparation. Practice, as a skills-focused activity, is shown to balance amassed hours of routine practice with exploratory engagement aided by instructional, role-model, and self-determined learning opportunities. Rehearsal is revealed as a process in which musicians are responsive, offering subtle expression and modification to develop their interpretations and manage evolving changes that unfurl in interaction with co-musicians. Case studies explore practice and rehearsal techniques such as conditioning, adaptation, and mental and imaginative enactment alongside the use of performance cues for memorization and expression outcomes.