Giftedness and Improvisational Thinking: A Case Study

This case study follows the development of improvisational thinking in Stella (pseudonym), a musically gifted jazz guitarist beginning at the age often through the age of seventeen. Using a model developed by Fidlon (2011), Stella was stopped during an improvisation and asked to describe what she planned to play next. Research questions were the following: 1) Is Stella's improvisational thinking similar to the improvisational thinking of adults? 2) Did Stella's improvisational thinking develop significantly over eight years? Stella's improvisational thinking was similar when compared to adults in the Fidlon and Norgaard studies. Her jazz improvisations improved rapidly over eight years. Her classroom and music teachers rated her musical and academic abilities as the highest they have seen in a child throughout their careers.