Abstract
This study compared collegiate subjects who had participated in high school performing ensembles (participants) with subjects who had not (non-participants) on their ability to perform expressively and to perceive expression in music. In Phase I, subjects (N = 56) were asked to perform three song selections, expressively and unexpressively, using a keyboard device that required minimal skill. A panel of experts rated recorded performances for expression and accuracy. In Phase II, subjects (N = 129) listened to 54 randomly selected performances from Phase I and rated each for expression and accuracy. Results indicated that participants performed with significant (p < .05) differentiation between expressive and unexpressive renderings in Phase I. In Phase II, participants demonstrated a significant difference (p < .05) between their ratings of expressive and unexpressive performances. No significant difference was found between non-participants’ ratings of performances. Findings suggest that school performing ensemble participation positively influences the performance and perception of musical expression.
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