In this music workshop, the teacher will initially present the theoretical and pedagogical background of improvisation and emphasize the value of creativity in the music educational process.

Improvisation is an integral element of creativity (Stamou, 2005), of the innate ability of children to explore, experiment and produce original musical compositions (Dennis, 1973 in Kokkidou, 2015). According to Elliott (1995, p. 39) the term “musicking” refers, among other musical acts/activities, to the process of improvisation. According to music educator Swanwick (1999, p. 57-58) a comprehensive music lesson includes listening, performing, composing and improvising activities. To achieve this approach, teachers must encourage their students to create music through processes of experimentation and reflection during creative activities (Schafer, 1975; Paynter, 1982 in Kokkidou, 2015).

It is noteworthy that improvisation can be used as a valuable pedagogical tool for the teaching and understanding of music theory, constructive self-evaluation, elements that contribute to the comprehensive development of the students' personality (Allsup, 2013; Kanellopoulos, 2013). Through the student's reflection on the entire improvisation process, the element of spontaneity is recognized, which highlights the importance of active musical listening as a basis for achieving musical dialogue (Chalatsi, 2016).

In the new Piano Curriculum for Music Schools (Ministry of Education 203617/Δ2/28.12.2015, Government Gazette 2858/ issue B’2015) there is the thematic axis “Musical Creativity and Partnership”, in which teaching plans and creative improvisation activities are proposed, aiming at the broader musical development of the student (Fytika, 2016).

In the next part of the workshop, the practical application of the teacher’s suggestions/ideas for improvisation on the piano will follow with the active participation of the teachers (in the 60’ hour the maximum number of active participants can be 15 people with a duration of 3 minutes each). In this music workshop we will focus on improvisation of a delimited musical context with the teacher's accompaniment, starting from very simple musical phrases of the question-answer type with one note and progressing to more complex musical motifs and shapes.

The objectives of the music workshop are: the experiential cultivation of active musical listening, the musical interaction of the participants, the development of expressive skills, the understanding of improvisation on the piano as a pedagogical tool.

Specifically, the steps of improvisation will be presented with the teacher inviting the participant to collaborate together and improvise on the piano a new musical idea. In particular, original educational tools that the teacher uses in her teaching as creative inspirations will be presented, so that the learning process becomes interesting, playful and attractive for the students.

At the end of the activity, a short discussion will follow with each participant focusing on their reflection on the entire improvisation process.. Teachers will have the opportunity to acquire meaningful musical experiences and actively integrate them into piano teaching in Music Schools, in line with modern pedagogical approaches and integrating the principles of informal music learning into formal educational environments (Green, 2014; Fytika, 2024).

Media / technological equipment: piano, computer, projector and speakers.

• Meaningful musical experiences

Eleni Chalatsi works at the Music School of Katerini. She holds a degree from the University of Macedonia, Department of Music Science and Art, specializing in piano (Excellent, Prof. V. Tsopela), a scholarship, a postgraduate degree from the University of Thessaly, Department of Pedagogy of Preschool Education (diploma: "Improvisation and creativity in the context of individual piano lessons in the Music High School: a case study" (Excellent, Prof. P. Kanellopoulos), during which she conducted research, following approval from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. She was a speaker at the 7th EEME conference and has published an article in the journal Music Education (2016). She holds a Piano Diploma (Excellent, State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, Prof. N. Tasopoulos), and Degrees in Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue. She actively participates in piano, chamber music, music pedagogy, IEP training seminars. She has given piano recitals, chamber music concerts (Greece - abroad), while she participated in the release of a children's book music album. She collaborates with artists by making orchestrations and first performances of works. In her teaching, she applies improvisational activities on the piano, encouraging her students´s creativity. This year, she attended the training program "Piano Pedagogy and Modern Approaches" of the K.E.D.I.V.I.M. Ionian University.