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.

Design of the 2021 study

The impact of story telling in a concert on children

The first research project of the Classical Expression research group is on the impact of storytelling in concerts.

There will be two research approaches:

- quantitative approach (setting A, regular school children agegroup, 6-10 years)

- qualitative approach (setting B, children with learning disorders, agegroup 6-12 years). Setting B is postponed due to covid cancellation of experiments. A qualitative research is added to setting A (regular children). Interviews will be conducted with the performing musicians on the impact of storytelling as well as the quaracteristics of the groups involved. These will help to interpretate the quantitative data.

Setting B: children with learning disorders

(postponed till schools allow experiments to take place)

In the qualitative experiment setting B participation techniques are added, specifically designed for children with learning disorders.

In all experiments a “story telling performance” group will be compared to a “non story telling performance” control group. The experiments of setting A is be repeated in two schools in two neighbourhouds with diverse socio economic background.

The set up of the experiments will be similar to the way the Classic Express concerts are organized normally. The CE truck will be at a schoolyard for a week, allowing many concerts to take place. A performance in which musical pieces are connected by an ongoing story has been created. The story is told by an experienced presenter of Classic Express concerts, Elsbet Remijn. The performing musicians are violinist Martine Velthuis and guitar player Michael van Dijk.

Setting A, quantitative approach

In order to know if a story is helping to increase the impact of music, we need to measure the “impact”. Quantification in these matters is disputable. We are however not claiming to find the impact of music on individuals, but conduct, a so-called epidemiological study. The average impact of a performance technique in

the age-cohort 6-10.

4 research questions setting A

1. Does storytelling influence the attention span of children in a concert?

2. Does storytelling affect the perceived emotional intensity of children in a concert?

3. What is the effect of story telling in a concert on the motivation to listen to classical music again

4. What is the effect of storytelling in a concert on the motivation to learn to play a classical instrument?

Setting B, qualitative approach (postponed due to covid cancellations of experiments)

1. How does storytelling and added other participation elements influence the behaviour and involvement in a concert for children with special needs?

Tip

Tip