Abstract
Current research in the neuroscience of musical creativity reveals promising implications for the value of learning to improvise. This article outlines the neuroscientific literature on musical improvisation and relates these findings to the benefits of musical creativity. We begin by describing the neural substrates of flow with respect to the mechanisms of improvisation. We then discuss how neuroscientific literature supports the argument that musical improvisation is a powerful means to express oneself and communicate with others, facilitating self-actualization and deeper connections with peers. Music educators can use these discoveries to bolster their advocacy for the use of creativity in music education and support their use of improvisation in the classroom.
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