Motivation Factors in Music 1 Music as Play: Exploration of the Motivation Factors Behind Pursuit of Classical Musical Activities

The difficulty in defining the concept of play arises partly from our lack of knowledge in its underlying motivation. While previous studies illustrated that people pursue hobbies in order “to see the fruits of my labor,” the question of individual differences in pursuing such activities has been left unanswered. In this study, we conducted interviews to focus on the experience of pursuing classical musical activities in order to obtain a better understanding of the reasons behind its pursuit. This study constructs categories of various factors that affect one’s decision to persevere in (or quit) music; discusses key trends in findings; and presents three case studies of individuals with extraordinary experiences in their pursuit of musical activities. Motivation Factors in Music 3