Classic Express Research project by Ilona Sie Dhian Ho

In a combined qualitative and quantitative research the influence of storytelling in concerts for children is analyzed. In a controlled setting, The Classic Express (mobile concert hall), groups of schoolchildren attend either a concert with or a concert without storytelling. The groups, similar in socio- economic background and age, are compared. In a quantitative research the involved listening, the felt emotional intensity, the interest in classical music and the interest in actively playing an instrument, will be measured. For quantification new grading systems are developed by scientists and musicians in a collaborative process. In a qualitative research on the influence of storytelling the focus is on children with severe learning disorders. The emotional responses of these children in concerts with and without storyelling, and in combination with participatory elements (moving, gestures) are observed by teachers and caretakers, They compare their observations in the concert to the normal behaviour of their pupils. Both Interviews with the teachers and their grading of arousal, attention and emotional levels in the concert will provide data that will be analyzed by the reserachers. This research is the first study of The Classic Expression Research Group, a group of researchers from the Royal Conservatoire and Leiden University, collaborating to provide new insights on the impact of presentation techniques in classical concerts.

CV Vivian de Graaff

Last year Vivian completed her Bachelor of Psychology at the Leiden University and her Bachelor Classical Violin at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. During her psychology studies, she learned a lot about doing research and she explored her interest in this with electives about good research practices. Also, she was a member of the Honours College and was selected for the Honours Lectures, in which an exclusive group of students had lessons from profound researchers and could visit their labs.

During her studies at the Royal Conservatory she discovered Orchestra Morgenstond and their performance format. She participated for four years and since two years she is also part of the productive team. As a musician of Orchestra Morgenstond, she performed a lot in front of unknown audiences and developed unique skills necessary to reach new listeners. Among those skills are playing all music by heart so that complete focus can be dedicated to connecting with the audience, acting and telling stories in between the pieces, and being able to switch effortlessly between those two activities. Next to Orchestra Morgenstond, she also played in the Youth Orchestra of The Netherlands, the Britten Youth String Orchestra, and the Ricciotti ensemble. This latter orchestra is also concerned reaching new audiences in innovative ways, by playing in easy accessible places, for example in shops, asylum centers, nursing homes, etc. In sum, Vivian is exploring ways to involve unknown listeners in approachable forms with classical music.

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