Observable flow experience in a two-year-old Japanese child's violin playing

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the flow experience of Jiro, a 2-year-old Japanese boy, regarding his violin playing in a social context. In this study, Jiro's violin playing was videotaped at home and during musical sessions for young children and families, guided by the author as a violinist-teacher-researcher. The method adopted a single case study approach. Custodero's Flow Indicators in Musical Activities (FIMA) was cited in the videotaping documentation, and field notes were collected and reviewed. Certain portions of video data were selected for further review, and transcribed into verbal descriptions and analyzed using the FIMA as the analytical categories. Based on data collected in this case study, a description of Jiro's flow experiences during his violin playing was constructed. Findings included interpretations of Jiro's violin specific flow experiences, and critical examinations of very young children's violin learning which may suggest implications for future practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Flow experience
• musical development
• toddler
• violin

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Taichi Akutsu (M.M., Manhattan School of Music, and M.A., Lehman College, The City University of New York, PhD, Tokyo Gakugei University) is a Japanese violinist-teacher-researcher. He is a full-time lecturer at Seeisa University in Yokohama, and Shujitsu University, Okayama City, Japan, where he teaches courses in early childhood and elementary music education. His primary expertise is in string education and young children's music learning in social / family context.