Effects of Conductor Baton Use on Band and Choral Musicians’ Perceptions of Conductor Expressivity and Clarity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine participants’ (college band and choral musicians, N = 143) perceptions of conductor clarity and expressivity after viewing band and choral directors conducting with or without a baton. One band and one choral conductor each prepared and conducted two excerpts of Guy Forbes’s O Nata Lux, a piece written in both choral and band idioms, with and without a baton. Participants viewed 10 excerpts (four choral, four band, and two distractors) and rated the conductors’ clarity and expressivity on 10-point Likert-type scales. There were significant main effects for participant ensemble emphasis (choral or band), baton use, and conductor type (choral or band), and a significant interaction between conductor type and baton use. The choral conductor was perceived to be clearer without a baton, whereas the band conductor was perceived to be clearer with a baton. The choral conductor was perceived to be more expressive with a baton, and the band conductor was perceived to be more expressive without a baton.