The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain non-musical components of a performance affect evaluator's performance quality ratings. Specifically, if there is an age at which point the presence of a music stand (i.e. an implied use of the score), the performers attractiveness, attire, stage behaviour and perceived level of accomplishment impacts performance ratings. Fourteen cellists were videotaped performing by memory, and then a second time with their music on a music stand, synchronizing their motions with the audio feedback from their first performance. The cellists and their performances were evaluated by 1024 individuals with no formal training in music ranging in age from six to fifty-five years old. Each evaluator was assigned to one of six groups: Visual only, Audio only, Memorized, Dubbed, Random 1, or Random 2. Results revealed that the presence or absence of a music stand had no impact on performance ratings. Performer attractiveness affected performance ratings for both sexes, although contrary to previous findings, being attractive was not advantageous. Dress had an inverse effect on ratings of female performers and poor stage behaviour affected ratings of both sexes. Although evaluators were unable to predict a performer's proficiency based solely on gesture, proficiency gestures made by musicians during performances affected ratings. Evaluators in the audiovisual conditions gave performers who appeared less accomplished significantly lower ratings than those in the audio only condition. Evaluators aged 13 were more critical than younger evaluators with their musical ratings and their ratings were also affected by the visual aspects of a performance. These results suggest that older non-musician evaluators use visual aspects to help their evaluations of subjective musical elements because they have a hard time hearing differences.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.102844 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Siddell-Strebel, Jeanne. |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Schulich School of Music.) |
| Rights | © Jeanne Siddell-Strebel, 2007 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002611565, proquestno: AAINR32324, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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