Musical Performance Research Articles

Decolonizing Western Conducting: Gospel Music Conducting Practices in Twenty-First Century Southern Nigeria

At the initial stages when Western conducting was introduced to Nigeria, it was mainly used to direct European art music. This was the practice from the nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. However, in twenty-first century, Western conducting is utilized to direct gospel ensembles, especially in Southern Nigeria. Although some of the nuances used to conduct gospel music in the locale predate twenty-first century Nigeria, literature is scant on how gospel music is conducted; and how such practice decolonizes Western conducting in Southern Nigeria. In this paper, I purposively selected eighteen (18) gospel music conductors, utilized non-participant observation, interview; and the theories of decolonization and conducting dynamism to descriptively discuss gospel music conducting practices and how the conducting practices are decolonizing Western conducting in twenty-first-century Southern Nigeria. Findings indicate that gospel music conducting in the region rarely engages basic conducting beat patterns, lavishly utilizes audible counting and finger snapping, feet stamping, clapping; and dance/kinetics that are traceable to popular music traditions to remove the restraints of conducting classicism, and to elicit kinetics in tandem with gospel music performance tradition in Southern Nigeria. These decolonize Western conducting, produce a form of conducting that combines Western and popular music idioms; that is predominantly opposed to the restrains of classical conducting. These warrant canonization for conducting taxonomy and education in Nigeria and beyond.

Human motion and musical expression: Exploring the link between physical movement and emotional resonance in performance

Musical performance has traditionally been understood as an auditory experience, with emotions conveyed primarily through sound. However, emerging research highlights the role of physical movement—gestures, posture, and body language—in enhancing emotional expression and creating a deeper connection between performers and their audiences. While existing studies have explored some aspects of this relationship, there is limited understanding of how specific movements modulate emotional responses across different musical genres. This study addresses these gaps by investigating the interaction between human motion and musical expression, focusing on the emotional resonance experienced by performers and audience members. The need for this study arises from the lack of comprehensive data on the correlation between movement and emotional engagement during musical performances, particularly concerning different genres. Using motion capture, biometric sensors, and facial recognition technology, the research analyzed the performances of professional and amateur musicians across classical, jazz, and contemporary music. Audience members’ emotional responses were captured through physiological data and post-performance surveys. One limitation of this study is that it focused solely on live performance environments, leaving digital or virtual performances unexplored. Key findings reveal that expressive movements increased emotional intensity ratings by 1.6 points (p < 0.001), with heart rate rising by 6.9 BPM (p < 0.0012) and electrodermal activity increasing by 1.6 µS (p < 0.0008). Movement synchronization with musical elements, especially during climaxes, strongly correlated with heightened emotional responses (r = 0.85, p < 0.01). Classical performances exhibited the highest synchronization between movement and emotion, with audience emotional intensity peaking at 8.3 on a Likert scale.

Audiovisual Imagery in Multimodal Perception and Performance of Qigang Chen’s Er Huang Concerto

In the realm of musical performance, the role of a pianist extends beyond the mere execution of musical scores to become a pivotal contributor to artistic expression. This study delves into the auditory and visual imagination through the perception and performance of piano works by the Chinese-French composer Qigang Chen from the early 21st century, involving the performer’s meticulous response to the nuances of musical sound as well as the interplay of visual synaesthesia.The study also explores the inherent conveyance chain within the performance process, experimenting with multimodal forms of expression. These creative choices not only enrich the narrative of the arts but also contribute to crafting a comprehensive, immersive concert experience for the audience. The principal aim of this research is to explore the prismatic view within Qigang Chen’s piano work, offering multiple possibilities of meaning and emphasizing the crucial role of the pianist in forming and elucidating the fusion of auditory and visual senses in performative action.By transcending traditional performance boundaries, this exploration invites the audience to witness the multimodal interactions inherent in musical performances, providing a fresh perspective on dynamic exchanges between different sensory elements and cultural influences.

Recent Research in Singing

Abstract: This “Recent Research in Singing” article chronicles four academic documents authored during 2024. A thesis by Elaina M. Frissell, “Ukrainian Symbolism in Mykola Lysenko’s Art Songs and Taras Shevchenko’s Poetry,” and dissertations by Ju Eun Oh, “Harmonizing Language and Music: The Potential Role of Voice Pedagogues in Advancing Foreign Language Acquisition Through Music,” Bixiao Wang, “Selected Chinese Art Songs of Tzu Huang: A Performance Guide,” and Edwin R. Williams, “The Interdisciplinary Music Degree: Music Education, Music Performance, and Music and Fine Arts Administration.” Each includes a complete bibliographic citation and an Author/ProQuest abstract.

Lessons for a Broadway Wannabe

Abstract: This essay is a letter to my younger self, a reflection of where I was when I started the journey into being a professional musical theatre performer, and of those lessons I can now identify from my past experiences. It offers a glimpse into some of the ups and downs of my performing life as well as some advice for any students considering this path.

국악 교육에서의 PBL 모형을 적용한 메타버스 국악공연 제작연구

This study aimed to develop students' self-directed problem-solving abilities and explore new possibilities for producing Korean traditional music performances in the metaverse by applying the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in Korean traditional music education. The PBL teaching-learning process was structured into five stages: encountering the problem, planning for problem-solving, exploring and re-exploring, devising solutions, and presenting and evaluating. Through the process of planning and producing a Korean traditional music performance, students were encouraged to solve problems independently, and they carried out the performances they created using the metaverse platform 'ifland.' The results of the study showed that the production of metaverse Korean traditional music performances, using the PBL model, significantly improved students' self-directed learning abilities and collaborative learning skills. Furthermore, it confirmed the potential of Korean traditional music education within the metaverse environment. This study suggests that the application of the PBL model to the production of metaverse Korean traditional music performances can contribute to the modernization of Korean traditional music education and the advancement of educational methodologies. It also emphasizes the need to expand the use of digital platforms in Korean traditional music education in the future.

초등학교 음악 교과서에 나타난 피리 내용 분석

This study aims to examine the instructions on Piri and the musical contents of Piri in Elementary school textbooks. Though Elementary school music textbooks address Piri with importance for Piri’s significance as one of the lead melodic instruments in the traditional Korean music performance, the absence of systematic lessons on Piri has led to difficulties for the students in effective understanding the instrument and its music. To address the issue, this research has categorized the explanations on Piri and its music by examining the newest edition (2015 editions) of all nine music textbooks. The categorization and assessment on the instructional consistency on the instrument and the music in elementary schools. To address the found inconsistency, this research asserts the necessity of preceding lessons in Piri and in the music according to different types of Piri. Such foundational knowledge would subsequently allow more effective knowledge acquisition about Piri and the music.

Anti-Pastoral and the Prophetic Mode in Moddi’s Climate Songs

This article explores aspects of apocalypse and pastoral in the climate themed song lyrics of Norwegian indie folk artist Moddi. Through close listening and contextualizing of the songs “Noens ark” (“Someone’s ark”, 2013) and “En sang om fly” (“A song about planes”, 2013), apocalypse and pastoral emerge as key motifs. These are navigated in an exploration of a conflicted Norwegian response to global warming. The songs express critique of unrelenting pursuits of economic growth and personal consumption even as the future imposes itself on the present. In two different ways, elements of indie folk music are tailored to express an ontologically unsettling encounter with a global environmental risk scenario. “Noens ark” employs forceful instrumentation and polyrhythms to evoke a sense of alarm and urgency called for by the projection of future disaster. “En sang om fly” is a soft composition projecting nostalgia for the material conditions of the present. The desire for these conditions ultimately locks the singer in a cycle of repetition that destabilizes the very conditions he desires. The nuances afforded by this expression in musical performance allows song lyrics to sustain contradictory attitudes towards globalization. In their pursuit of these contradictions, Moddi’s climate songs can be seen as part of an anti-pastoral tradition. Features of musical genre and a prophetic lyric mode are employed to evoke and subvert a pastoral response to apocalypticism. By musically sustaining contradictions between pastoral and apocalypse, Moddi’s songs reflect a conflict between Norwegian identity and a global cultural imaginary in the face of global warming.

In situ] : re-thinking the role of musical improvisation performance in the context of the ecological and cultural crisis

If there is one thing that complexity theory has taught us, it is to consider phenomena not as isolated events with properties of their own, but to observe them from a different perspective: as relations in a vast network of interdependent systems. In this light, the role of contemporary music performance has changed, and will continue to change, precisely because the context in which it is created and takes place is constantly evolving. Artistic research can provide the tools to be aware of these changes and to actively re-act in this changing context, not by simply transposing the context or its elements into a representational or aesthetic framework, as happened with the avant-gardes of the 20th century, but by breaking cultural boundaries through transpositions into distant fields with isomorphic functional principles. It is precisely because of this characteristic, which reveals the intrinsic interdisciplinarity in artistic research, that it is possible to revolutionize the traditional conception of music performance and not confine it to an aesthetic regime, but rather expand it to include the context. However, since relationships are not unambiguous, it is not just a matter of revising the concept of performance, but also of reviewing the way we experience and live in the context, as artists, as human beings, and as elements of a circuit of which we are only a small part. In this paper, I will first examine how environmental and social changes have been reflected in performative changes and the ways in which the context of the ecological crisis and contemporary performance are interrelated. Then, I will focus on my research project, “[in situ]”, highlighting its site/situation-specificity, flexibility, immersivity, and interactivity, and explaining how it aligns with and differs from other contemporary music performance practices.

Notational actants: new musical approaches through the material score

This exposition brings together a collection of images, thoughts, and descriptions of the initial stages of a doctoral research project that explores the concept of 'notational actants': materially-focused, 3-dimensional objects intended for touch-based interpretation in musical performance. The majority of the content in this exposition was created during a one-month residency at Mustarinda (Hyrynsalmi, Finland).

The Localization of Global Music and the Diverse Practices of Modern European Music Festivals

This paper examines the phenomenon of cross-cultural music fusion in modern European music festivals, analyzing the innovation and development of global music within the context of localization. With the advancement of globalization, European music festivals have emerged as vital platforms for musical exchange among diverse cultures. The study demonstrates that global music manifests new forms of expression and creative techniques through its interaction with local traditions. Through case studies of WOMEX and the Salzburg Festival, this paper reveals how global musical elements are localized in terms of language, instrumentation, melodies, rhythms, and performance styles. In this process, musicians enhance the diversity and innovation of music while preserving the essence of their cultural heritage. Additionally, the study highlights the tension between global music and local culture, emphasizing the importance of balancing cultural respect with innovation. Ultimately, this paper offers new insights and directions for future research in cross-cultural music studies, advocating for a deeper exploration of global music's performance across different regions and its implications for cultural identity.

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Music Education: A Critical Synthesis of Challenges and Opportunities

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic that presents new challenges and opportunities for the improvement of educational processes. The disruptive and transformative force of this new technological development implies the adaptation of educational ecosystems for its use and integration as a didactic and pedagogical resource. From this perspective, a systematic literature review has been conducted to analyze the didactic potential of generative AI tools in the field of promoting artistic creativity in music education. The research results confirm that the incorporation of AI in music education is paving the way for a more personalized, interactive and efficient learning experience. In addition, the analysis suggests nine fundamental fields of IA implementation in music education: virtual and augmented reality (VR; VA); learning personalization, intelligent tutoring systems; composition assistants; improved historical and contextual learning; assessment systems; interactive ear training and music theory systems; tools for music collaboration and performance; and assistive technologies. Furthermore, the challenges presented by the intersection of AI and digital didactics in the field of music education are discussed.

O violão na imprensa carioca dos oitocentos

This article aims to reveal how newspaper archives can support musical history research by providing an important tool for developing and covering themes focused by Brazilian musicology. The presence of the classical guitar in Rio de Janeiro is highlighted beginning in the 1840s in the hands of foreign artists, who fostered the development of the city’s nineteenth-century musical life, a busy agenda of musical performances that allows us to become acquainted with the guitar’s repertoire, which was composed of original works and especially transcriptions of opera arias.

A Training Person Need Analysis for Music Teachers Readiness to Teaching Music Vocational for Visually Impaired Student: A Review

Music vocational is a programme that provides students with work, networking and learning activities outside of school through music performance or other musical activities that encourage students to gain some experience in a music industry job setting. However, music vocational education is still developing and is currently trying to reach students with special needs through special schools. The standardised skills that are commonly used and developed in society need to be understood and practised by children with special needs, especially the visually impaired students. However, its programme some case not being executed by the relevant teachers background. This study aims to examine the need for relevant music teachers for the implementation of music vocational training programmes in special education settings. Literature study on this study to explain the standard specifications of music vocational education and training teachers and how to implement vocational or specialised music learning for visually impaired students. The qualitative data show that vocational music education requires teachers with at least two years' experience and knowledge of music and the music industry, as well as several strategies for teaching visually impaired students in vocational music programmes that are directed towards self-determination in preparation for possible future careers.

Self-management of stage fright by vocal music performers: which techniques are the most effective?

Self-management of stage fright by vocal music performers: which techniques are the most effective?

Parenting in the Face of Trauma: Music Therapy to Support Parent-Child Dyads Affected by War and Displacement.

The literature highlights the profound psychological impact of war on children, families, and communities, emphasizing the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and other symptoms among affected individuals. Interventions, such as Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and music therapy, show promise in mitigating trauma effects, underscoring the need for holistic approaches that address familial and community dynamics alongside individual well-being. Aiming to explore the influences of dyadic music therapy sessions on parents' capacity to support their children, this study involved four families displaced from their home-kibbutz as result of a terrorist attack. All dyads participated in music therapy sessions with a focus on parent-child interactions and trauma processing (CPP informed). Embedded in a qualitative, phenomenological approach, the research utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and micro-analytic methods to explore meaningful moments in the music therapy sessions. Findings identified four central categories: (1) Discovering the child's grounding song: identifying resources; (2) Musical improvisation sets the grounds for parent-child mutual recognition of the child's traumatic experience; (3) Musical performance empowers child and parent; (4) A sense of agency is gained through controlling the musical environment. The significance of restoring the children's freedom of play, the parents' sense of competency, and of enhancing families' capacity to connect to their traumatic experiences through the musical environment is discussed.

KARYA MUSIK LUNGUN: INTERPRETASI VOKAL ANDUNG BATAK TOBA DALAM KONSEP MUSIK KAMAR

Lungun is a musical work inspired by a tradition in the death ceremony of the Toba Batak people, called the andung tradition. Andung is a song of sadness that expresses one's feelings of grief for a loved one. Andung chanting is chanted by a pangandung (poet) using hata andung verses (Toba Batak fine literature) whose content tells the life history of someone who has died. In its current development, the andung tradition has shifted, and many cannot practice it because many younger generations can no longer speak hata andung, and andung singing which have been replacing with spiritual songs. The analysis of the andung tradition revealed distinct characteristics of the andung melody and the presentation of Gondang Sabangunan music for death ceremonies. The creation of the musical work Lungun aims to find out the musical form and its symbolic meaning. The method used is panca sthiti ngawi sani, which consist of five stages: (1) inspiration (ngawirasa), (2) exploration (ngawacak), (3) conception (ngarencana), (4) execution (ngawangun) and (4) production (ngabah). Lungun's musical work incorporates elements such as the Toba Batak scales, processed andung vocals, hata andung poems, rhythm processing, and Gondang Sabangunan playing techniques into chamber music performances. Lungun music has three parts: part I is mula-mula (beginning), part II is andung (vocal singing), and part III is poda (message). The symbolic meaning expressed in Lungun music refers to the values found in the Toba Batak community: the Dalihan Na Tolu Batak philosophy, the five levels of Toba Batak death, and the seven Toba Batak philosophies.

Through the history of the acoustic response within the theatre of Taormina: From Greek and Roman periods to our days

The ancient theatre of Taormina is considered one of the most beautiful attractions of this town. Built on top of a cliff over the Mediterranean Sea, the spectators remain captured by the suggestions that this performance arts space can still inspire. Finished to be erected in the 3rd century BC, the theatre in Hellenistic period was provided with a small temple on the top centre of the cavea. Modified by Romans based on their requirements for spectacles, the organization of this ancient theatre was amplified with the creation of a double porticus supported by a columnade, and with the extension of the scenic building. After its desuse, some construction elements of the theatre were utilized to build new structures in town, provoking significant damage to the original shape. The spectacles that nowadays are conducted within the ancient theatre are many, executed especially over summer seasons. Acoustic measurements have been carried out inside the theatre to understand the acoustic response of the existing conditions. Starting from this scenario, the values of the main acoustic parameters have been compared with the digital reconstruction of the building at the Greek and Roman period. This research study highlights the difference in the acoustic response between these two scenarios and the existing conditions, and how the acoustics during the Roman period was the most suitable for musical performances.

Evolution of Flute Art: From Archaic Musical Traditions to the Present

The purpose of the work is to substantiate the evolution of pipe art as a special phenomenon from archaic musical traditions to the present. The methodology. Significant for this work were historical, analytical, musicological, and cultural methods, which were used to reveal various aspects of flute art, including its evolution, use in different cultural and social contexts, and its impact on the music culture of Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the work is determined by its analytical perspective, which represents a comprehensive view of the history and evolutionary development of pipe art from archaic musical traditions to the present. Conclusions. The presented materials reveal the evolution of pipe art and its role in the modern world of musical performance and musical genres. Attention is focused on changes in materials and construction when making a musical instrument. The advantages of the chromatic flute as a unique instrument with a wide range of performance and musical-tonal possibilities are argued. The study demonstrates the significance and relevance of flute art for contemporary cultural and musical environments, opening up new prospects for future research in musicology.

Tuning into musicians’ wellbeing: Research on music performance anxiety (MPA)

Tuning into musicians' wellbeing: Research on music performance anxiety (MPA) The Music and Mental Health Research Clinic (MMHRC) at the University of Ottawa's Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) at The Royal is investigating how to reduce music performance anxiety (MPA) and the benefits of specific coping strategies for musicians. The audience cheers, and smiles are on every face. The music performance was incredible; it emotionally moved the audience, got their toes tapping, and made them forget their worries. On the other hand, the musicians are thinking about the note they missed or their tempo not being quite perfect. The audience does not see the musicians worrying before the performance, the state of anxiety during the performance, or the negative rumination that will occur afterwards. Biologically wired with an innate tendency to default to negative assumptions to avoid dangerous situations, our bodies react to stressors as if our lives are at stake (Baumeister, 2001; Rozin & Royzman, 2001; Ito & Cacioppo, 2005). This negativity bias is a key reason why changing our habits, behaviours, and thought patterns is so challenging. It often results in automatic negative thoughts, such as underestimating available opportunities and resources, and increased sensitivity to perceived threats.