Importance of Communication Cues in Music Performance according to Performers and Audience

Satoshi Kawase

doi:10.5539/ijps.v6n2p49

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate what types of communication cues performers and audiencemembers regard as important during music performance. Our attempt differed from other studies in that itexplored a holistic perspective of multiple cues in music performance through self-reports. The questionnairesprovided a simple model of reciprocal communication flows among four roles, namely, performer, co-performer,audience, and co-audience member, as well as 10 types of communication cues, namely, facial expression, gaze,body movement, posture, touch, interpersonal distance, verbal information, attire, breath, and musical sound. Atotal of 86 performers and 149 audience members filled in the questionnaires. In referring to this model andimagining music performances, they rated the importance of communication cues according to their role asperformers or audience members, situations (practice/performance). Performers selected the music genres thattheir performances usually play. Performers were also asked to draw stage positioning in music performance.The main findings are as follows: (1) Participants’ roles as either performers or audience members affected theiropinions about the importance of communication cues. In inter-performer communication, sound, gaze, bodymovement, facial expression, and breath were rated as highly important in both practice and performance. Inperformer-to-audience communication, musical sound, facial expression, and body movement were rated ashighly important. (2) Participants regarded similar cues as important regardless of their role: senders andreceivers of inter-performer and performer-to-audience communication. (3) Music genre (classical or popular)and situation (practice or performance) influenced participants’ opinions about the importance of communicationcues and stage positioning.

Highlights

In musical performance, we frequently see that performers and audience members employ multiple cues for communication
The questionnaires provided a simple model of reciprocal communication flows among four roles, namely, performer, co-performer, audience, and co-audience member, as well as 10 types of communication cues, namely, facial expression, gaze, body movement, posture, touch, interpersonal distance, verbal information, attire, breath, and musical sound
In referring to this model and imagining music performances, they rated the importance of communication cues according to their role as performers or audience members, situations

Summary

Introduction

We frequently see that performers and audience members employ multiple cues for communication. Piano duo performers exchange eye contact with co-performers. Singers in popular music bands demonstrate gestures to audience members, who respond by mimicking their gestures. A large number of empirical studies have explored individual cues, such as sound, body movement, gaze, and facial expressions. Entire cues have rarely been discussed from a holistic perspective. Despite their important suggestions, musical communication models do not provide all-inclusive views of musical cues

Methods

Results

Conclusion