The effect of differentiated video presentations of choral performances on aesthetic responses of undergraduate choral and instrumental ensemble musicians

Abstract

Research examining affective response to media modalities including film, television, gaming, video streaming, and virtual reality is expanding. This study examined aesthetic responses to choral performances presented in two contrasting video formats (stationary and produced). Volunteer undergraduate students ( N = 94) enrolled in ensembles (choral, n = 45; instrumental, n = 49) indicated their aesthetic responses to choral performances of Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “Only in Sleep” by manipulating a Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) dial. Participants viewed video performances of two ensembles, one of which was digitally altered to allow for use of the same audio content for both videos. CRDI data were used to create temporal line graphs depicting participant responses to each video and indicated similar shapes with more intense aesthetic response to the produced video. Statistical analysis of cumulative mean responses to each performance found a main effect of video format (stationary vs. produced) and a video format × presentation order interaction. Initial exposure to each video garnered a more intense response than that of the second video, and the produced video elicited greater magnitude than the stationary perspective video. Findings support further examination of video and other media, studying differentiated impact on aesthetic response to music performances.