Influences of Facial Expression and Conducting Gesture on Musicians' Perceptions of Conductor and Ensemble Expressivity

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Issues in Music Pedagogy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of facial expression and conducting gesture on perceptions of choral conductor and ensemble expressivity. College musicians (N = 156) viewed excerpts of two choral conductors who had been recorded conducting with either an expressive conducting gesture and a neutral/static face or an expressive facial expression and a neutral/static conducting gesture. They then rated the expressivity of the conductor and of the ensemble. Results indicated no significant differences in participant ratings of conductor expressivity or ensemble expressivity (p > .05) between conditions. Responses to open-ended questions suggested that conducting gestures and facial expressions were the two factors that most impacted perceptions of ensemble and conductor expressivity.

Authors

• Jessica Nápoles, University of North Texas

• Brian A. Silvey, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Mark Montemayor, University of Northern Colorado