Embodying dynamical systems in music performance

ABSTRACT: The present contribution introduces a theoretical framework to
explore music performance from a perspective inspired by the conceptual
resources of two orientations known as Dynamical System Theory and Embodied
Cognitive Science. We discursively elaborate on how music performance might be
conceived of as a complex, multi-component system that deals with evolving
patterns of stability and instability, and examine how a combination of cognitive,
motor, and affective skills stands at the heart of the performer’s capacity to
optimize their performance. In doing so, we consider how musicians often
generate different interpretative “hypotheses” with little or no pre-planning and
use their body to selectively navigate the range of possibilities such hypotheses
entail. In conclusion, the relevance of this perspective is discussed in relation to
current research in music performance and music education to outline
continuities and differences between the two domains.