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.

Vivian de Graaff

Research design

My research question is if telling a story with classical music incorporated has an effect on the interest of children in classical music and on their keenness to play a musical instrument themselves. Additionally, if there is an effect, I am investigating if this effect is mediated by attention span and/or perceived emotional intensity.

I investigate this by designing questions for children between six and nine years old about their ainterest in classical music and their keenness to play a musical instrument. The children will answer these questions at three time points: firstly before the start of the concert in the classroom, secondly after the concert is finished again in the classroom and third one week after the concert. The first measurement gives a baseline about their pre-concert attitudes towards classical music. The second measurement is supposed to measure the effect of the concert on their interest, but probably these responses will be not reliable as the energy of the performance will make the children over-enthusiastic. That is why I will execute a third question-moment after one week, to measure their interest and keenness when the momentary excitement has faded. After all, the aim of classical concerts for children would be that there is a long-term effect and that their interest does not diminish.

To test the mediation effect of attention span and/or perceived emotional intensity on attitude towards classical music, I will use the measurements of respectively Laura Garcia and Ilja Venema. Attention span will be measured by coding children’s behavior during the concert and to assess emotional intensity children fill in questions about which emotion they feel and how intense at certain moments in the performance.

Additionally, to get an idea about the socio-economic and musical background the participants are from, parents complete a questionnaire about these topics.

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