Abstract

Introduction This study explored the subjective constructions of embodied learning in advanced flute students (N = 5; aged 21-26 years) from a Music Performance program at a university in the Valpara & iacute;so Region, Chile over six weeks, as they prepared a specific repertoire for an exam.Methods Data included weekly student logbooks detailing their learning process, alongside repeated self-report ratings of anxiety and self-confidence on a 1-10 scale.Results Descriptive analyses of quantitative data indicated a decrease in anxiety and an increase in self-confidence across the six-week period; however, anxiety remained generally higher and more variable, while self-confidence showed a slight decline in the week preceding the exam. Throughout the learning process, emotions and embodied awareness played a key role in how students regulated both their musical interpretations and learning strategies. Qualitative analyses indicated that students' subjective constructions evolved across stages of learning, reflecting changes in self-regulation and motivational processes such as task analysis, learning strategies, and coping strategies. The interplay between breathing control and anticipation reflects a complex embodied learning process modulated by individual learning contexts and psychological factors. Students reporting higher anxiety tended to focus more frequently on embodied components related to muscle tension and breathing difficulties, whereas students with higher self-confidence more often reported anticipating breathing and preparing the body before performance.Discussion These findings suggest that physical manifestations of negative emotions, including tension and fatigue, may negatively impact well-being and performance, and may contribute to playing-related musculoskeletal discomfort during musical practice.