Power in the moment : using autoethnographic narrative to unlock understandings of collaborative performance

Autoethnography provides a useful and valid way to research collaborative music performance as it enables the researcher to study their personal practice in relation to other musicians. However, the representation of data from collaborative performance creates some problems. It is here that narrative plays a vital role in being able to capture the essence of the moment from the perspective of the performer, through the use of evocative text. In examining the musical collaboration between a pianist and a choir, the analysis of the narrative data provides a rich understanding of the unseen aspects of collaborative practice in music performance, while also providing an exemplar for other creative artists who are researching the experience of artistic practice. This case study demonstrates that evocative autoethnographic narrative is a significant tool for this type of research activity, and can have wide application in the creative arts.