Methis. Studia humaniora Estonica

Tundmatud autorid Wilhelm Puttukas ja Oscar Frey. Kirjanduslikud leiud patsiendikaartide vahelt / The Unknown Authors Wilhelm Puttukas and Oscar Frey: Literary Discoveries Between Patient Files

Mari Vallikivi — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Rahvuskultuurilisest enesemääratlemisest eesti kirjandusloos. Igor Severjanini hübriididentiteedi peegeldus luulekogus „Klassikalised roosid“ (1931) / National-cultural Self-identification in Estonian Literary History: Igor Severyanin’s Classical Roses...

Igor Kotjuh — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Artikkel käsitleb, kuidas vene luuletaja Igor Severjanini (1887–1941) Eesti-perioodi luule – eeskätt kogu „Klassikalised roosid“ (1931) – peegeldab hübriidset kultuurilist identiteeti, mis kujunes pikaajalise kokkupuute kaudu Eesti kultuuriruumi ja ühiskonnaga. Kuigi Severjanin jätkas kirjutamist vene keeles, ilmutab tema tähelepanu Eesti maastikele, ühiskonnale ja isiklikele paguluskogemustele kahetist kuuluvustunnet. Tuginedes identiteediteooriatele (Giddens, Bhabha), väidab artikkel, et Severjanin tegutses kultuuridevahelises „kolmandas ruumis“. Tema näitel saab vaadelda, kuidas Eesti kirjandus võib hõlmata ka autoreid, kes kirjutavad teises keeles, kuid suhestuvad sügavalt siinse kultuurilise ja ühiskondliku kontekstiga.

National-cultural Self-identification in Estonian Literary History: Igor Severyanin’s Classical Roses (1931) as a Reflection of Hybrid Identity

This article presents an analysis of how Igor Severyanin’s (1887–1941) Estonian-period poetry, especially the 1931 collection Classical Roses, reflects a hybrid cultural identity shaped through long-term engagement with Estonian society. Although Severyanin continued to write in Russian, his sustained presence in Estonia, thematic focus, and cultural participation invite us to view his work within Estonian literary history.

Migration – whether voluntary or forced – often initiates redefinition of personal and artistic identity. It challenges not only the writer’s linguistic choices, but also the ways in which they position themselves within multiple cultural frameworks. The article draws parallels with Estonian exile writers like Marie Under and Ilmar Laaban, who represent two poles: one retaining a monolingual cultural identity, the other developing a dual literary presence in exile. These cases frame the discussion of how identities are preserved, reshaped, or extended in diaspora. Such comparisons underscore how cultural belonging is not a fixed essence, but an ongoing negotiation between internal continuity and external change.

The theoretical basis draws on Fromm, Erikson, Hall, and particularly Giddens, who sees identity as a reflexive, evolving narrative. Additionally, Bhabha’s concept of the ‘third space’ provides a model for understanding hybrid identity as a space of cultural fusion and negotiation, where individuals draw from multiple traditions to form something new. The third space resists binary opposition and creates the possibility for a productive in-between, where identity is constructed relationally rather than absolutely.

A central distinction is drawn between multiple identity and hybrid identity. Multiple identity refers to the coexistence of various roles within one person, such as gender, profession, and nationality and is a common condition. Hybrid identity, in contrast, describes a synthesis of cultural identities where the elements influence and transform one another. To clarify the difference, the article uses two metaphors: a picnic basket and a hybrid car. A picnic basket holds diverse items side by side symbolising the layered but separate nature of multiple identity. A hybrid car, however, alternates or combines different energy sources mirroring how hybrid identity draws on more than one culture as active creative forces. The latter metaphor captures the dynamism of cultural interplay, where each identity component reshapes the whole rather than remaining static.

Estonian literary history contains figures who have embodied these modes. Lydia Koidula, Marie Under, and Ilmar Laaban each navigated multilingual and multicultural environments in distinct ways. These examples reveal that national literature has often developed through contact, translation and reinterpretation rather than in isolation. Severyanin, while never switching from Russian, developed a second literary orientation rooted in Estonia’s nature, language milieu, and cultural networks.

His poetry collection Classical Roses exemplifies this transformation. Structured into thematic sections, it gives weight to both Russia and Estonia. These sections are not in conflict, rather, they reflect parallel emotional and cultural investments. Severyanin praises and criticises both lands, revealing layered and evolving affiliations. His detailed descriptions of Estonian landscapes, rural life, and local people show more than surface fascination, they reflect lived experience and a sense of belonging.

Notably, the book includes a personal statement declaring Toila as his permanent address from 1918, a gesture that reinforces his rootedness in Estonia. Although he continued to write in Russian, the subjects of his poetry increasingly reflected his new context. Themes such as nature, exile, and everyday life reveal Severyanin’s negotiation of his place between two cultural homes. His stylistic shift toward clarity and sincerity during the Estonian period further supports this realignment of poetic identity.

The article challenges narrow, language-based definitions of literary canonicity. It argues that cultural engagement, in addition to language, should be a criterion for literary inclusion. Writers who embed themselves in the life, landscape, and discourse of a place may rightfully be considered part of its literature, even if they write in another tongue. Severyanin’s case demonstrates how such inclusion can be argued on thematic, contextual, and existential grounds. This reframing allows literary history to become more representative of the cultural complexities of real lives.

In conclusion, Classical Roses can be read as a poetic document of hybrid identity, a record of dual belonging shaped by biography, geography, and artistic vision. The collection reflects Giddens’ idea of selfhood as a narrative project and Bhabha’s notion of a cultural third space. Severyanin’s continued connection to Russia, alongside his deep investment in Estonia, results in a dual identity that is not merely layered, but fused.

This perspective supports a more inclusive understanding of literary history that acknowledges hybridity, migration, and intercultural dialogue as fundamental elements in modern literature. Severyanin’s work, situated between cultures, helps expand the boundaries of what Estonian literature can be.

Loomeprotsessi semiootilisest uurimisest helilooja käsikirjade näitel. Arvo Pärdi „Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen“ lähivaates / Composer Manuscripts and the Semiotic Study of the Creative Process: A Close Reading of Arvo Pärt’s Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen

Kristina Kõrver — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Artikkel käsitleb helilooja Arvo Pärdi loomeprotsessi, eelkõige selle tekstoloogilist ja intersemiootilist eripära. Analüüs keskendub kooritsükli „Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen“ (1988) loomisloole ning põhineb Arvo Pärdi Keskuse arhiivis leiduvatel käsikirjalistel ja suulistel allikatel, mida pole varasemalt põhjalikumalt uuritud. Vaatluse all on peamiselt Pärdi visandivihikud ehk nn muusikapäevikud – omapärased arhiividokumendid, mis sisaldavad muusikalise notatsiooni kõrval ka rikkalikku verbaalset ja pildilist materjali. Toetudes Võgotski, Lotmani, Žinkini, Toropi jt töödele, võib neid käsitleda kui autori sisekõnet helis, sõnas ja pildis ning detailselt dokumenteeritud materjali põhjal jälgida helilooja suhtlust iseendaga, sisekõnelist koodivahetust ning sellest lähtuvaid kunstilisi valikuid.

This article examines the creative process of composer Arvo Pärt, focusing on textological and intersemiotic characteristics. Sketches, drafts and other handwritten materials are analysed within the framework of cultural semiotics, drawing primarily on the works of Lev Vygotsky, Roman Jakobson, Juri Lotman, and Peeter Torop. The case study centres on the genesis of the Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen choral cycle (1988) and is based on oral and written sources preserved in the archive at the Arvo Pärt Centre.

While sketches and drafts (including musical ones) are typically studied to trace the developmental progression of a work, from a semiotic perspective they can also be understood as a form of inner speech offering a window into the artist’s creative psychology and world of thought. The theory of inner speech, developed in the works of Lev Vygotsky ([1934] 2014), has proven to be a fruitful research method in contemporary cultural semiotics. Its central concepts – inner and external speech – are applied here to examine the relationship between the visible and invisible dimensions of the creative process; that is, between the draft and the final composition.

The semiotic analysis of the creative process also encompasses aspects of communication and autocommunication, linking outward-directed communication with the author’s external speech, specifically the finalised text of the work, and autocommunication with inner speech processes and the draft corpus. In this view, drafts can be interpreted as acts of intrapersonal communication, which, as Roman Jakobson observed, create a bridge not between spaces, but between times (Jakobson 1985). Juri Lotman conceptualised the same phenomenon in his ‘I–I’ type of communication, emphasizing that when the sender and the receiver merge into one person, new codes rather than new messages are introduced (Lotman [1970] 2010). This perspective is particularly relevant in the context of diaries and drafts, where artists frequently move back and forth between various stages of the creative process, repeatedly rereading messages addressed to themselves.

In addition to musical notation, Arvo Pärt’s drafts include a wealth of verbal and pictorial material, representing the composer’s inner speech in sound, word, and image. This is documented in his notebooks, or musical diaries, which record not only the compositional process of completed works but also musical ideas that never developed into full pieces, for example everyday ‘musical exercises’ such as melodies and chord progressions. The sole, yet highly significant, function of these fragments is to serve as a channel for the composer’s autocommunication. Among the verbal entries are quotations from books (primarily theological texts), prayers, and Pärt’s own reflections on life, music, and spiritual and artistic ideals. The pictorial material includes tables, diagrams, sketches, calligraphy, and various graphic symbols.

The analysis reveals that in Pärt’s creative process, the codes of sound, word, and image are closely intertwined. His thinking is marked by continuous translation between different sign systems, especially during the early stages of composition. Building on the work of Vygotsky, Nikolai Zhinkin has described such a dynamic process – movement from thought to word – as code transition, noting that inner speech is typically formed in a so-called mixed code in which pictorial and verbal elements are combined (Zhinkin 1964). In Pärt’s case, this code becomes even more complex with the addition of a sonic component.

Since Pärt’s drafts and diaries document not only the formation of individual works and stylistic development, but also his broader philosophical and spiritual explorations, these archive documents are also examined from textological perspectives. The analysis draws primarily on Peeter Torop’s work on the study of literary drafts (Torop 1999, 2011). From a textological standpoint, the article considers the full lifespan of a work, from the earliest notation of an idea to the final manuscript, including post-publication revisions and arrangements for new ensembles. To describe the various stages of the creative process and their interrelations, the study examines both the micro-time of the draft (the chronology of a single draft page) and its macro-time (the chronology of the entire draft corpus of a work).

The examples presented in the article demonstrate that, in the context of Pärt’s oeuvre, defining the temporal boundaries of a work’s genesis and thus the very concept of a draft is a particularly complex task. This complexity arises not only from the composer’s tendency to revise completed works, but also from his frequent practice of arranging existing compositions for different ensembles. The compositional history of the choral work Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen, for instance, spans several decades: based on the original 1988 version, Pärt later composed O-Antiphonen for cello ensemble (2008) and the orchestral work Greater Antiphons (2015). The case study underscores the highly dynamic and contextual nature of Pärt’s creative process, in which the boundaries between draft and final version – between pre-text and end text – are often fluid. Understanding this process requires a broad and nuanced approach to the very notion of the draft itself.

Kaasaegne kunst ja vaimne heaolu töökeskkonnas / Contemporary Art and Mental Well-being in the Work Environment

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Artikli eesmärk on analüüsida erafirmade kontorites toimunud kaasaegse kunsti väljapanekute mõju töötajate vaimsele heaolule. Esmalt kaardistati ettevõtete töötajate ootusi kunstile nende kontorites. Hiljem uuriti, kuidas inimesed tajusid ja mõistsid esitletud teoseid. Ettevõtete töötajate ootused kaasaegse kunsti väljapanekute osas olid laialivalguvad ja kontoris korraldatud näitusi tajuti vastuoluliselt, ent peamiselt positiivselt. Uuringu tulemused näitavad, et kunstil on töökeskkonnas potentsiaal toetada loovust ja vaimset heaolu. Samal ajal on kuraatorite jaoks väljakutseks korraldada väljapanekuid spetsiifilistele kollektiividele, püüdes vältida vääritimõistmist.

Mental well-being is becoming an increasingly significant factor in people’s lives. During the last half-century, the effect of work environment on people’s mental health and productivity has been the focus of many scientific investigations as well as documents by international organisations. These international political documents deal with the work environment primarily as a social category. However, the spatial qualities of the workplace also play a significant role in promoting the mental well-being of employees. Art has substantial potential in the design of a physical space, and thus there is an increasing need to explore the effects of art in the work environment.

The article is based on the Impact of Visual Arts on the Work Environment of Estonian Companies creative research project, financed by the Estonian Ministry of Culture. The Department of Ethnology at the University of Tartu, Kogo Gallery and the Centre of Anthropology carried out a collaborative project between 2022 and 2023. Our aim was to conduct an attitude survey project designed to develop social and creative entrepreneurship. We planned to study the attitudes of Estonian enterprises towards the visual arts and the effect of works of art on employees.

Our creative study had three overall stages. Firstly, the curators and anthropologists asked the board members and staff of three technology companies about their expectations of the art displays we had agreed to arrange in these companies’ offices. We conducted monitoring of artistic prospects by interviews, casual conversations and observation of work environments at the companies involved in the study. Secondly, the curators installed the art displays in the offices, considering ethnographic input from the first stage of our work. Thirdly, the anthropologists documented impressions and opinions of the companies’ board members and employees about the installed contemporary art displays. The board members of the selected companies’ offices did not intervene in the work of the curators and let them act freely, hoping that art would stimulate employees emotionally and give rise to a more creative work experience. A few weeks after opening the exhibitions, the team of anthropologists conducted interviews and carried out observation in the offices. Several employees claimed that they had not noticed any change in their work environment. However, the majority of the interviewed staff had paid attention to the exhibitions and admitted that even if they did not think about the artworks intensely, these pieces of art had influenced people in a silent way, and that if these works were removed, the offices would look disturbingly empty. The majority of interviews and spontaneous conversations indicated that employees did not delve much into the ideas behind the artworks, were not interested in background information and did not perceive the displays as a complex element of interior design. However, several people did assume that the art had an effect but that it was subconscious.

In fact, positive feelings towards the art displays were more numerous. Staff and employees considered artworks as adjusting mental well-being and creativity and enabling relaxed and smooth switching between different work tasks. Art displays also evoked discussion among the employees on different topics and encouraged people to express their opinions. Endorsing creativity and supporting mental well-being at work through contemporary art displays is very much a guessing game, because people’s expectations are rather vague and their reactions unpredictable. When starting the study, we hypothesised that commitment to technological innovation supports positive perception of contemporary art displays among the office employees, and this assumption was partially confirmed. The most severe but intriguing setback of the project was connected to the potentially ambivalent effect of one display on the office workers. People expected that their complex work should be balanced by simple, straightforward and peaceful art. Therefore, employees perceived artworks involving bold humour and the grotesque as stereotypical parodies of their work experience. The research, carried out with funding from the Ministry of Culture, will enable Kogo Gallery to better plan the provision of art rental services to institutions and companies in the future. The completed project covered a wider thematic area, and mental health issues formed only one part of the creative research. The effect of art on mental health needs more focused research in the future, for which this cooperation project provided an effective basis.

Videomängude disain noortele täiskasvanutele. Psühholoogilise heaolu edendamine koosloome kaudu / Participatory Video Game Design for Young Adults: Enhancing Psychological Well-being through Co-creation

Taavi Varm — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Videomängud on saanud oluliseks kultuuriliseks ja hariduslikuks väljendusvahendiks, mille potentsiaali vaimse tervise hariduses ei ole veel piisavalt rakendatud. Artikkel käsitleb, kuidas koosloomepõhine videomängude disain võib toetada noorte täiskasvanute psühholoogilist heaolu, loovust ja õppimist. Erasmus+ töötoas kasutati kunstipõhist ja osaluslikku disainiprotsessi, et soodustada eneseväljendust, emotsionaalset teadlikkust ja refleksiooni. Metoodika lõimis osalusdisaini, metakognitiivse õppimise ja kunstipõhise tegevusuuringu. Tulemused viitavad, et selline lähenemine võib toetada motivatsiooni, keskendumisvõimet ja heaolu, pakkudes tõhusat viisi loovuse ja vaimse tervise ühendamiseks hariduslikus kontekstis.

Mental health challenges faced by young adults have become a global concern, with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and stress. The World Health Organization highlights a decline in well-being, particularly among younger populations. In Estonia, nearly half of young adults report mental health difficulties, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to mental health education. While traditional interventions remain essential, creative and participatory methods are gaining recognition for their potential to enhance psychological well-being. One such approach is participatory video game design, which integrates artistic creativity, interactive storytelling, and collaborative learning to foster engagement and emotional resilience.

This article explores how co-creative video game design can support psychological well-being, creativity and learning among young adults. Conducted during a three-day Erasmus+ workshop, the study investigates how art-based and participatory design practices can promote emotional awareness, presence, self-expression, and reflection. The methodology combines art-based action research, participatory design, and metacognitive learning into an integrated framework that enables safe, collaborative and meaningful exploration of mental health themes.

Participants – international students aged 17 to 18 – worked in small teams to design game prototypes that addressed personal and social aspects of mental health. Two custom-developed toolkits structured the creative process: one based on flow theory, the other on visual world-building templates. These toolkits supported both creative design and psychological reflection. Participants also completed daily self-assessment surveys and the Flow Likelihood Questionnaire to assess their motivation, focus, and engagement.

Results indicated increasing levels of attentional focus, intrinsic motivation, and psychological presence over the course of the workshop, with the highest scores on the final day. Participants reported enjoyment, self-development, and creative flow, suggesting the design process had both cognitive and emotional significance. Psychological frameworks were embedded within the design structure, allowing participants to internalise concepts such as flow and self-regulation through hands-on creative engagement, rather than direct instruction. This research positions participatory game design as more than a technical skill, it becomes a shared artistic and pedagogical process through which young people explore identity, emotions, and interpersonal dynamics. Co-creation offers a shift from passive media consumption to active authorship, fostering agency and reflective thinking. The facilitator’s role was framed not as instructor but as a ‘journey designer’, creating a flexible structure in which participants could safely navigate complex content, experiment, and express themselves.

Methodologically, the study proposes a four-part model – game, creators, journey designer, and journey – that integrates artistic creation, learner agency, guidance, and the process of reflection. Flow theory was both a design concept and an evaluative lens, showing strong correlation with participant engagement. Quantitative data were supported by open-ended reflections in which participants articulated new insights into game mechanics, storytelling, teamwork, and their own emotional experiences. Rather than measuring outcomes alone, this study focuses on the conditions that support psychological well-being through creative participation. The results demonstrate that structured co-creation, rooted in interdisciplinary arts-based research, can create a psychologically supportive space where learning, expression, and personal growth intersect. In conclusion, this research contributes to the expanding field of arts-based mental health education by showing how participatory video game design can foster emotional presence, metacognitive awareness, and peer connection. It encourages further integration of creative, reflective, and collaborative practices into education and youth work contexts, offering a promising model for engaging young adults in meaningful dialogue around mental health.

Kuidas toetab kunst sotsiaal-emotsionaalse pädevuse kujundamist? Lastega perede abil loodud helirännak / How Does Art Support Social and Emotional Learning? A Sound Journey Created with Children and Their Families

Hanna-Liis Kont — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Kunstnike Lundahl & Seitl, Jaakko Autio ja lastega perede koostöös valmisid 2024. aastal heliteosed „Murrangu hinged“ ja „Viltuse maja mälestused“. Artikkel analüüsib koostöö käigus kogetud õppimist, avades kunstiteoste potentsiaali arendada osaliste sotsiaal-emotsionaalset pädevust. Lugeda saab praktilistest lahendustest, kuidas lastega perede abil teoste ligipääsetavust suurendati ja lastele juhtroll anti. Uurimistöö põhjal järeldub, et teosed kutsusid esile õpetlikke kogemusi seoses suhteoskuste ja vastutustundlike otsuste tegemisega ning võimega ennast ja teisi usaldada.

Between 2022 and 2024, new artworks were developed at the Tartu Art Museum in Estonia, during which artists Lundahl & Seitl and Jaakko Autio collaborated with local families with children. The process led to the creation of two artworks: a new sound journey titled “Spirits of the Fault Line” and the interactive installation “Memories of the Leaning Building” (both 2024). The works were made for "The Secrets of the Leaning Building" group exhibition at the Tartu Art Museum. I participated as the project manager, curator and researcher.

The aim of the research is to explore the possibilities of using contemporary artworks to support children's social and emotional learning. The key question is what kind of learning was experienced by the families with children, curator and artists during the collaboration? The connections between the artworks and fostering relationship skills, trust, and responsible decision making are examined.

Social and emotional learning lays the foundation for effective communication and affects mental health and well-being (Jones et al. 2017: 49–50; Jones, Bouffard 2012: 3). Social and emotional learning is not only related to skills, but also to knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, abilities, etc. (Jones et al. 2017: 51) A growing body of research shows that engaging in art can be a powerful tool for enhancing people’s well-being (Fancourt, Finn 2019). As children’s social and emotional well-being relies on their social and emotional learning (Jones, Bouffard 2012: 3), investing time and other resources into art related activities that can foster children’s social and emotional learning is a way to support their well-being.

During the development process, 16 workshops were conducted at the Tartu Art Museum by the artists, myself, and additional project team members. Thirty-one children and young people aged three to 20 and 21 parents or accompanying adults participated (Registration data for 16 workshops. 2022–2024. Collected by Hanna-Liis Kont. Written notes are in the possession of the author). During the workshops, participants experienced earlier versions of the sound journey and gave feedback. As a result “Spirits of the Fault Line” was created, taking the form of an approximately 20-minute walk between two people through the Tartu Art Museum’s gallery spaces. The walk is based on movement instructions coming from wireless headphones that both participants wear. During the piece the vision of one partner is limited through goggles that only allow the wearer to perceive light and shade. The other person (in the role of guide) leads their partner by hand through the museum spaces until they switch roles. “Memories of the Leaning Building” is a 10-channel interactive sound installation that frames the walk in the physical exhibition space. It includes two kinaesthetic sound sculptures in the form of wells that provide a start and end point.

The collaborative artistic development was a fruitful learning experience for the organisers. Through the workshops we learned that some family members, especially children aged 5 and younger, require a more individualised and flexible approach to be able to confidently participate in such a multi-sensory artwork. An effective solution was to rely on the physical proximity of the family members through hand-holding and physical gathering points in the museum. The attributes of the soundtracks also strongly affected the participants’ experiences. Sound levels played a part in the overall experience confirming the need to be able to adjust them for each person. Being mindful of abstract sound effects or narrative elements that can be associated with danger also became apparent. Yet, relying on narrative points that spark imagination and go beyond normative realms proved helpful and became fundamental in helping the participants fully engage in the experience. Collaborative drawing was another useful tool for supporting visual as well as verbal exchanges and helping participants express the unknown sensed in the sound walk.

Arguably the most important learning took place through realising the significance of role reversal by giving the child the role of leader and the adult a supporting role. This deconstructs the typical hierarchies that are in place in most families. The family members’ reflections demonstrate the sound journey’s potential to deepen the relationship between a parent and child, fostering trust and understanding between the two.

The research shows that in most cases people try their best to make responsible decisions regarding their partners’ well-being, and are able to rise to the occasion if the artworks’ instructions and physical environment are (age) appropriate. Therefore, the works create an opportunity to practice responsible decision-making in a challenging but exciting context.

Continuing social and emotional learning is also important for adults. The development process provided many opportunities for this, especially regarding the knowledge and skills required to collaborate with children and make artworks more accessible to them.

Vaimse heaolu komponendid muusikuks kujunemise teel. Toimetulek esinemisärevuse ja vaimsete blokkidega Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia viiuli-, vioola- ja klaveritudengite hulgas / Components of Mental Well-being on the Path to Becoming a Musician...

Jelizaveta Bukina, Janika Mesi, Marju Raju — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Muusikatudengid puutuvad kokku erialaspetsiifiliste vaimsete ja füüsiliste väljakutsetega. Artiklis tutvustatakse Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia viiuli-, vioola- ja klaveritudengite hulgas läbiviidud uuringuid toimetulekust esinemisärevusega ja vaimsete blokkidega. Andmete kogumiseks kasutati ankeetküsitlust ning pianistidele koostati vaimsete blokkide leevendamiseks mõeldud harjutuste pakett. Küsitluse tulemustest selgus, et esinemisärevusega toimetulekuks kasutatakse eri meetodeid, sh etenduskunstidele suunatud kehatöö praktikaid, kuid oodatakse suuremat institutsionaalset tuge seoses vaimse ja füüsilise heaoluga. Regulaarne harjutuste tegemine leevendas pianistide vaimseid blokke ja kujundas uusi positiivseid harjumusi.

Components of Mental Well-being on the Path to Becoming a Musician: How Violin, Viola and Piano Students at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Cope with Performance Anxiety and Mental Blocks

The profession of musician involves various situations, including individual work (practice) and public performances on stage. Any public performance situation is associated with certain physiological changes caused by the increased levels of neurotransmitters and hormones, including adrenaline, in the body. While some musicians can channel this heightened state of arousal to their advantage and use the elevated energy levels to induce a state of flow (Sinnamon 2021), in many cases, such physiological changes manifest as performance anxiety. According to a recent systematic meta-analysis (Fernholtz et al. 2019), between 16.5% and 60% of musicians suffer from performance anxiety. The authors attribute this wide variation in results to methodological issues (such as differing definitions of anxiety symptoms and variations in assessing performance frequency and intensity). However, this does not change the fundamental fact that performance anxiety is a widespread phenomenon among musicians. In addition to performance anxiety, mental blocks caused by fear or past trauma can also affect musicians’ mental well-being. These blocks function as metaphorical walls (Baumeier 1984), where a musician, despite having no physical limitations, struggles to perform certain musical material due to self-doubt and negative thought patterns. While the topic of mental blocks has been widely explored in sports psychology (Beilock & Gray 2007; Walker 2021), research specifically focusing on musicians remains scarce.

This article presents master’s theses from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) in musicology (Mesi 2023; Bukina 2024) examining these mental well-being issues – performance anxiety and mental blocks – in students from different disciplines. The article also introduces two bodywork practices, the Alexander Technique (AT) and the Feldernkrais Method (FM). The applied empirical research conducted for these theses focused on violin, viola, and piano students at EAMT, using an anonymous online questionnaire and action research as research methods.

Mesi (2023) found that all violin and viola students who participated had experienced excessive performance anxiety to some extent. As coping strategies, students mentioned discussing their issues with fellow musicians, using the AT, practicing mindful breathing, and consulting a psychologist. Additionally, students expressed a need for institutional support in this area, suggesting that mental well-being topics should be integrated into the curriculum to help normalise discussions around them. Bukina (2024) first assessed pianists’ states of well-being and the presence of mental blocks. The students then engaged in a two-week intervention involving selected exercises, including breathing exercises, stretching, and cognitive-behavioural exercises related to self-esteem. The results showed that all participants experienced changes in their perception of mental blocks when working with specific musical material. However, the extent of these changes varied individually, depending on each participant’s level of self-confidence at the start of the study. The findings from both studies highlight the connections between musicians’ mental well-being and physical condition, which should be considered by instrument instructors when mentoring students. A musician’s work is uniquely tied not only to their instrument but also to their body as a personal instrument. Pain, tension, or movement restrictions can act as significant stressors, increasing anxiety during both practice and performance, potentially leading to mental blocks in playing specific pieces. Similarly, physical symptoms associated with anxiety and fear such as muscle tension caused by negative thoughts can contribute to or exacerbate performance- related injuries.

To support musicians’ mental and physical well-being, it is essential to normalise interaction between mind and body and train and relax both thoughts and physical movements. The results also indicate that experiences of anxiety and mental blocks can be highly individual. While some variation can be attributed to instrument-specific challenges, other factors include a musician’s previous experiences, overall anxiety levels, and personality traits. Therefore, in addition to universal interventions, it is necessary to develop instrument-specific and individualised approaches. In more severe cases, seeking help from a specialised bodywork instructor (AT, FM), physiotherapist, or psychotherapist can be beneficial.

Õhtumaine kirikulaul ja vaimne heaolu Anno Domini 2024. Juhtumiuurimus Pühalaulu Kooli kogukonnas / Occidental Ecclesiastical Chant and Mental Well-Being Anno Domini 2024: A Case Study in the Community of the School of Sacred Chant

Eerik Jõks — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teesid: Kirikulaulu on teaduskirjanduses käsitletud kui transtsendentse ehk üleloomuliku rahu allikat ning selle kaudu kui potentsiaalset toetajat vaimse heaolu (VH) kujunemisel ja hoidmisel. Artikkel esitleb kvalitatiivse muusikasotsioloogilise juhtumiuuringu tulemusi hümnoloogia valdkonnas, mille eesmärk oli uurida VH fenomeni väärtustamist eesti kirikulaulu, täpsemalt proosarütmilise kirikulaulu ehk pühalaulu praktikas Pühalaulu Kooli (PLK) kogukonna vaatenurgast. Uurimus põhineb 26 PLK kogukonnaliikme kirjalikel vastustel avatud kaudküsimustele. Vastuseid analüüsiti kolmeastmelise standardiseeritud kontentanalüüsiga ning kategoriseeriti John Fisheri VH nelja domeeni mudeli alusel (FM): transtsendentne, kogukondlik, isiklik ja keskkonnadomeen. Uurimus ei keskendunud pühalaulu otsese mõju mõõtmisele VHle, vaid informantide asjakohaste refleksioonide kaardistamisele ja mõtestamisele. Tulemused näitasid, et VH positsioon PLK kogemuses on oluline, kuid seda väljendatakse kaudselt – läbi kogukondlike väärtuste ning mitmekihilise suhestumise Pühakirjaga. FM mitmetasandiline rakendamine tõi esile domeenide esinemissageduse järjestuses: kogukondlik, transtsendentne, isiklik ja keskkonnadomeen.

This case study explores the appreciation of spiritual (mental) well-being (SWB) within the School of Sacred Chant (SSC, Pühalaulu Kool), a community dedicated to the practice of prose-rhythm ecclesiastical chant (pühalaul). The repertoire of pühalaul is based primarily on Old Testament Psalms, forming a rich scriptural corpus for liturgical expression. The study applies John W. Fisher’s Four Domains model of spiritual health and well-being to analyse participants’ reflections, revealing the potential of pühalaul to foster a holistic experience of well-being in contemporary society.

Theoretical framework and research context. The impetus for this research lies in growing societal interest in SWB, a dimension of human flourishing that, while related to mental health, extends beyond the scope of medical or clinical concern. Rather than addressing SWB through conventional religious doctrine or psychological analysis, this study focuses on the practice of pühalaul in a liturgical context.

Pühalaul draws on the aesthetic principles of Medieval sacred prose-rhythm Latin ecclesiastical chant (Latin pühalaul or Latin plainchant), particularly from around the turn of the first millennium, and reinterprets them through the distinct prosodic features of the Estonian language. Unlike traditional strophic hymnody (such as chorales or hymns), pühalaul emphasizes the natural prosodic rhythm and phonetic qualities of the Estonian language, aligning closely with what has been called Estonian language music.

Fisher’s model underpins the study’s analysis, dividing SWB into four interrelated domains: (1) personal (the relationship with oneself), (2) communal (relationships with others), (3) environmental (connection to place and cultural context), and (4) transcendental (the relationship with a higher power). This comprehensive framework allows for the mapping of various experiences associated with pühalaul to broader dimensions of well-being.

Methodology. The study is qualitative in nature, located at the intersection of hymnology, music sociology, and positive psychology. The author uses standardised content analysis (SCA) of written responses from 26 members of the SSC community, which consists of roughly 70 participants in total. Respondents were asked open-ended, indirect questions, most importantly “How would you describe the School of Sacred Chant? What do you think it is?”, with no direct mention of SWB or mental health. This indirect questioning method was chosen to avoid bias and encourage genuine, uninfluenced responses.

The interview responses were coded in three stages, producing 253 distinct statements grouped into 16 thematic categories, including spiritual community, connection to sacred texts, practical learning, and Estonian linguistic identity.

Key findings. The most prominent theme was that of community, appearing in multiple forms: as a spiritual collective, a social and educational environment, and a space of shared worship. The communal domain emerged as the most significant, with participants frequently describing SSC as a place of togetherness, mutual support, dialogue, and shared prayer through chant. The practice of pühalaul was seen not as musical performance but as communal spiritual action, where boundaries between performer and audience dissolve.

The transcendental domain was also strongly represented, especially through expressions of union with God, prayer through chant, and engagement with The Holy Scriptures (The Bible). Many participants emphasized their connection to the Word of God, referred to both mystically (Logos) and didactically (The Holy Scriptures as archetypal text). The Psalms were especially central, perceived as both a spiritual and cultural inheritance.

The personal domain appeared in reflections on inner peace, self-exploration, and personal growth. SSC was described as a space for individual development, healing, and reflection, often referred to as a sanctuary or refuge from the disintegration of modern life. Even though religious terminology such as “Christ” or “church” was rarely used directly, there was an underlying sense of spiritual rootedness and transformation.

The environmental domain, though least prominent, was notably shaped by Estonian linguistic and cultural identity. Informants celebrated sacred chant as the only musical form that truly honours the natural rhythm and sound of the Estonian language. The practice was seen as a way to reclaim cultural and linguistic heritage through pühalaul.

Discussion and implications. The dual-layered content analysis (by thematic categories and by domain mapping) confirmed the multi-dimensional nature of pühalaul practice in the SSC community. The community did not explicitly frame their experiences in terms of ‘spiritual well-being’, but their reflections aligned naturally with Fisher’s SWB domains, especially the communal and transcendental. This suggests that sacred chant fosters well-being in a manner that is holistic, integrative, and culturally resonant.

The article highlights the therapeutic potential of ecclesiastical chant, especially when practiced in a linguistically native, inclusive setting. Prior research is cited to support this, including studies showing that group singing increases oxytocin (a bonding hormone) and decreases cortisol (a stress hormone). Moreover, the flow state experienced during deep musical or ritual engagement can enhance both personal fulfilment and social cohesion.