The Effect of Conductor Intensity and Ensemble Performance Quality on Musicians' Evaluations of Conductor Effectiveness

Abstract

Abstract This study was designed to examine musicians assessments of conductor effectiveness under the conditions of high/low gestural intensity coupled with high/low performance quality. Participants were 40 undergraduate instrumental music majors enrolled at a southeastern university in the United States. Participants were randomly divided into high (n = 20) or low (n = 20) performance quality groups and viewed two video excerpts tightly focused on a band director using high or low intensity conducting gestures. Participants were instructed to evaluate the conductor's effectiveness. Generally, participants rated high intensity conducting as more effective than low (p The effect of conductor intensity and performance quality on musicians' evaluations of conductor effectiveness. Conducting an ensemble is a complex process that requires managing numerous skills simultaneously. While attending to an ensemble, the conductor must provide clear and timely gestures with sufficient affect to ensure musicians realize the desired intent. Facial expressions are often utilized as an additional means of communication to supplement and extend gestures originating from the hands and baton. The conductor's demeanor is also extremely important. Moreover, the conductor must thoroughly know the score to monitor the needs of ensemble members through eye contact, nonverbal feedback, and supportive cues (Price & Byo, 2002). Balancing these skills- among others- contributes to a conductor's success beginning with the first time the conductor steps on the podium. Indeed, the role of conductor is extremely important for music teachers to master if they want to be effective, thus learning conducting skills is an essential component in the training of effective preservice teachers as reflected in the music education curriculum requirements of most undergraduate programs. Many studies have attempted to define specific aspects of effective teaching in detail for the purpose of milling better-prepared teachers (e.g., Berliner, 1986; Brand, 1985; Good, 1979) with investigations focused on the importance of student attentiveness (Yarbrough & Price, 1981), teacher eye contact (Fredrickson, 1992), and teacher magnitude (Yarbrough, 1975) to name a few. However, attempts to synthesize research in effective teaching into a single concept were not successful, leading researchers to focus instead on a different line of inquiry based on a global paradigm - teacher intensity (Madsen & Duke, 1993). A standard definition of intensity is an extreme degree marked with great zeal, energy, and eagerness, or showing strong feeling. Teacher affect as embodied in gestures and facial expressions coupled with correctness of instructional content is often described by educators as teaching intensity. Indeed, teaching intensity has been defined by researchers as the sustained control of the (student/teacher) interaction as evidenced by efficient, accurate presentation and correction of the subject matter with enthusiastic affect and fast pacing (Standley & Madsen, 1987, p. 16). Moreover, intensity differs from teacher. . .enthusiasm in that it not only describes the delivery style. . . but accounts for the correctness... of academic information (Cassidy, 1990, p. 165). The importance of this aspect of quality music teaching has been studied by the research community yielding many important transfers to the training and evaluation of conductors and music teachers (e. …