Effect of aural and visual presentation modes on Argentine and US musicians' evaluations of conducting and choral performance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of presentation modes on evaluations of conducting and choral ensemble performance. Participants ( N = 36) were graduate music students with conducting and teaching experience studying in Argentina ( n = 18) or the USA ( n = 18). The participants viewed and evaluated a stimulus videotape that presented a director conducting two different choral performances in three different presentation modes (aural-only, visual-only, and aural—visual). The conductor alternated between good and bad conducting in each of the two performances. While the good conducting remained consistent, the bad conducting changed in style from performance 1 to performance 2. A four-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated significant differences as a result of performer (director and choir) and excerpt (performance 1 and performance 2). No significant differences were indicated as a result of presentation mode or culture. Results indicated that experienced teachers may be more critical of a director's performance than a choir's, that different styles of conducting behavior may influence perceptions and that poor conducting may influence evaluative ratings more so than good conducting.