In recent years, musical practice has become more frequently addressed through the framework of self-regulated learning. Although the framework offers good integration of different learning aspects, some aspects - like motivational and emotional aspects of practice – are less well researched (McPherson, Miksza & Evans, 2018). The purpose of this study was to compare high- and low-achieving piano students in regard to their understanding of practice, how they approach it, what motivates them for practice, and how they experience practice emotionally. The data were gathered and analysed using concept mapping (Trochim, 1989; Kane & Trochim, 2009). Two groups of pianists (with six participants each) were formed; one with no formal achievements and one with an average of more than three formal achievements in the past five years. The groups answered questions concerning cognitive-behavioural and motivational-affective aspects of their practice via two separate google spreadsheets (they were anonymous). Each participant classified their given answers freely into any number of categories. They evaluated each answer in regard to importance and frequency of the described strategy or experience. The results showed that the high-achieving showed a more in-depth and complex understanding of practice and focused more on interpretation, technique and body, while the low-achieving group focused more on the organization of practice. Differences were found in regard to motivational-affective aspects of practice. The high-achieving pianists mentioned mastery goal orientation and positive emotion much more frequently than the low-achieving. The latter mainly reported focusing on performance goals and negative emotion, while also mentioning mastery-avoidance and performance-avoidance. There is a clear need to for an integration of motivational and emotional aspects of practice into our understanding of efficient practice.
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