ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Positive Psychology
Exploring experiences of gratitude during musicking in a community orchestra: An intrinsic case study
North-West University Faculty of Humanities, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Abstract
Introduction: Within the context of growing scholarly interest in the role of positive emotions and virtues in music education, this study explores experiences of gratitude during musicking among members of diverse cultures and ages (10-79) in a community orchestra in South Africa. Methods: A qualitative intrinsic case study design was employed to explore 13 orchestra members' experiences of gratitude while musicking, using open-ended, semi-structured interviews. The data was thematically analysed using ATLAS.ti 25. Results: Three central themes were generated from the data analysis: (1) gratitude as experienced across ages (10–79) and cultures within the orchestra, (2) the triadic view of gratitude, encompassing benevolent intentions, benefits received, and the roles of beneficiaries and benefactors within the orchestra community, and (3) three upward cycles — the chain of appreciation, the chain of reciprocity, and the broaden-and-build features of gratitude — that foster social cohesion, prosocial behaviour, individual well-being, and better musical performances. Discussion: The study demonstrated that understanding appreciation and reciprocity chains can encourage gratitude, which in turn broadens musical and interpersonal skills and builds flourishing individuals and music communities.
Summary
Keywords
appreciation, Community orchestra, Gratitude, Positive emotions, Reciprocity
Received
02 October 2025
Accepted
20 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 van der Merwe and Joubert. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Liesl van der Merwe
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