Improvisation as a creative process within contemporary music

Music improvisation is a universal and diverse form of musical expression, yet it retains a shadowy presence within the study of music from both a research and a performance perspective. This chapter focuses on the importance of improvisation as a particular site for creativity in music. It explores contemporary notions of improvisation in a broader than usual context (i.e., looking not just at jazz) and draws out some important aspects of improvisation for furthering our understanding of musical creativity in general. It suggests that improvisation affords the opportunity to challenge musical and cultural hegemonies and develop new ways of collaborating and thinking creatively in music.