Improvisation in Research

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19179/rdf.v1i1.1717

Keywords:

musical improvisation, artistic research, research in arts

Abstract

This essay explores the author's musical practice and its contexts, focusing on the power of unique questions and approaches rather than replicable models. It highlights two key issues: how one learns to improvise and how to document these processes, bridging artistic research and research on art. The goal is to foster collective contributions while avoiding insularity. While not generalizable, certain recurrences gain relevance aligning form and content through improvisational tools. It also seeks to transcend conventional boundaries, positioning improvisation as both subject and framework for inquiry.

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Author Biography

  • Pedro Azevedo Sollero, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo/SP, Brasil

    Pedro Azevedo Sollero holds a Bachelor's degree in Popular Music from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), a Master's degree in Musical Creation Processes in the field of Sonology from the Graduate Program in Music at the University of São Paulo (USP), and a PhD from the same program, both under the supervision of Rogério Costa. During his doctoral studies, he was awarded a Fulbright grant through the Doctoral Dissertation Research Award (DDRA) program and spent nine months conducting research at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) under the supervision of musicologist David Borgo.  His main areas of interest lie in musical improvisation, its various forms, manifestations, and pedagogies, as well as its social, cultural, and historical contexts. In addition, Pedro is a composer, record producer, and educator. He has conducted workshops, lectures, and classes on musical improvisation and experimental music technologies at several public universities in Brazil and the United States, including USP, UFC, UECE, UFSB, and UCSD.

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Published

11/03/2026

How to Cite

Azevedo Sollero, P. (2026). Improvisation in Research. Revista Da FUNDARTE, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.19179/rdf.v1i1.1717