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Autistic pianist performing a jazz improvisation task: Mental imagery and

identification

Conference Paper · July 2013

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Mazzeschi Annamaria

University College London

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Mental Imagery and Identification

Presenter: Annamaria Mazzeschi

Bordin, A.M., Mazzeschi, A., Penzo, I., Stefanile, C., Sirigatti, S.

AUTISTIC PIANIST

PERFORMING A JAZZ

IMPROVISATION TASK:

1

Brief introduction to Autism

• Autism is a neurological and lifelong condition that

appears in early childhood (Frith, 2003; Happe’,

1995; Boucher, 2009; Ockelford, 2013)

• The current DSM V (2013) defines Autism as :

• (a) Qualitative impairment in social interaction

• (b) Qualitative impairment in communication

• (c) Restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of

behaviour, interests and activities.

2

Aim of the research

• The aim of this research was to evaluate

the jazz improvisational capacity

of an autistic pianist (GN)

stimulated by verbal stimuli,

with the intention of verifying which type

of semantic stimulus has the power

to activate his creativity and join

the splitting Self typical of the Autism.

3

Biographical notes I

•GN was born with a congenital neurological

condition that meant he was partially sighted

and, at the age of three, he was diagnosed with

a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (DSM V)

(APA, 2013).

4

Biographical notes II• Although he is partially sighted, his behaviour is

comparable to a visually impaired person in terms of mobility and orientation.

• He has completed the eight-level piano examination in an Italian Conservatory, which involves, among other things, having to play piano sonatas by Beethoven, Bach (Well Tempered Clavier) and Romantic Studies. He has also taken Harmony and History of Music examinations

• His relationship with the keyboard, in terms of fingering, gesture and control, shows that he has studied the instrument, is very proficient and has mastered the technique

5

Method• The task in which GN was involved was to create a sound track to a

story of snow told by the researcher; the story was a description of

snow in a winter landscape

• The first part of the story described the vicissitudes of a wolf and a

bird in a snow covered woodland; all the images utilised in the

story were familiar imageries for GN, as some of them reminded

him of his preferred cartoons and famous childhood fairy tales

such as Peter and The Wolf

• Together with a verbal story there was a percussionist with the

aim of helping to reinforce and enhance GN’s improvisational

intentions

• The sequence that will be shown refers to a part of the story in

which the wolf attempts to hunt and eat a little bird.

6

7

Video 1

Results I (first part of the story)

• GN’s behaviour is childish and stereotypical

• In this musical performance it is not possible to recognise rhythmical patterns

• GN’s gestural and technical capacities utilised are lower than expected, it seems that he does not have harmonical cognitions and knowledge

• His musical language and thoughts are completely unstructured

• The percussionist’s role seems to be absolutely irrelevant, it appears that GN is not influenced or helped by his presence.

8

Results II (first part of the story) • Utilising this type of verbal inputs GN was playing not at his usual

level of musical knowledge: improvising very unstructured musical

fragments and showing an infantile musical attitude

• He seems to have inhibitions and regressions; basically these types

of images, although very familiar to him they do not activate his

musical knowledge and/or any types of creativity; he did not

recognise himself as the author of this soundtrack

• GN was unable to integrate conceptual stimuli with music

• His musical behaviour showed typical autistic traits, such as lack of

creativity and stereotypical behaviours.

9

Results I (second part of the story)

• Conversely, in the second part of the story, when the

researcher told him that inside the wood there was a

small house and inside the house a jazz pianist was

playing the piano, his musical performance

completely changed to the high standard

performance level expected of him.

10

11

Video 2

Results II (second part of the story)

• GN appears to be extremely attentive and focused

• It becomes suddenly clear that GN loses his previous inhibitions and displays an evident rhythmical profile

• The gesture became very precise and coherent with his musical capabilities and GN utilises the musical structure in an appropriate way establishing an interesting musical dialogue with the percussionist.

12

Conclusions I• His identification with the jazz pianist allowed him not only

to recuperate his own musical background but also creating a structured musical dialogue with the percussionist

• Different mental imagery provoked diverse musical attitudes; in fact GN’s performance became expressive and produced a finely structured musical piece: he was playing as a professional pianist

• He recognises himself within the image of the jazz pianist in the house, that was described in the story, his musical imagery has been prompted through the content of the story

• This identification with the pianist activated his evolved musical skills.

13

Conclusions II

• The fusion between thoughts and concepts allowed

him to leave stereotypical behaviours employed

during the first part of the story

• Only with this identification there is an integration of

the two parts: conceptual and musical

• GN has to recognise and identify himself and with

this projection brings forth the creative experience

14

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