The aim of this master’s thesis is to better understand the collaborative shaping in ensemble playing and see if and how it is possible to improve my own musical and technical skills through chamber ensemble interaction. The main research questions are:

1. What characterizes musical shaping in chamber music rehearsal and performance?

2. What characterizes the interaction between performers in rehearsal and performance?

3. How can this interaction be enhanced and made more efficient?

4. How can ensemble playing contribute to improving my musical and technical skills?

The method I used was to record rehearsals and concerts on video and analyze these through video stimulated recall in the form of semi-structured discussions. This joint analysis, carried out by the three members of the group were in turn recorded on video and again analysed by the author.

The results indicate several factors that characterize communication in ensemble performance and how musicians undertake work on various difficulties. Playing in an ensemble provided me with a tremendous amount of knowledge and developed my musical, technical, and even communication skills. The openness of the group members allowed me to see with their eyes issues that came out during rehearsals and how they feel the music. Through the methods we tested, we were able to become teachers to one another and constructively evaluate our collaborative work.