How much is too much? Effects of unexpressive, expressive, and overly-expressive conducting on ensemble expressivity ratings

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of unexpressive, expressive, and overly-expressive conducting on college musicians’ ratings of ensemble expressivity. Participants ( N = 133) from the United States viewed three video recordings of three conductors whose unexpressive, expressive, or overly-expressive conducting performances had been synchronized with the same corresponding, high-quality audio recordings. After viewing each of the three excerpts in one of three counterbalanced orders, participants rated the expressivity of the ensemble’s performance. We found a significant effect for conductor expressivity, but there was also a significant conductor expressivity × order interaction. Although participants’ ratings were influenced by conductor expressivity, they were not independent of viewing order. Implications for conductors and recommendations for future research are discussed.