Effects of Intense Musical Experience on Way of Life

Musical peak experiences are a significant component of lives of many. Parallels have been created between musical peak experiences and Intense Musical Experiences. Research has identified a number of components from physiological to psychological (Gabrielsson, Lindstrom, & Wik, 2003) about the nature of intense experiences with music. The present study was done to explore if Intense Musical Experience(s) could have a long term effect on the experiencing individual. Eight narrative interviews were taken for the same and thematic analysis was used to make meaning of the data. It was found that these experiences were powerful, valued, having lasting effects and were a reason for continued engagement with music and achieving a state of balance both with inner self and the outside world.