Reading Vocal Music : Eye Movements and Strategies
(2024) In Studies in Music Education Royal College of Music- Abstract
- Music reading is a central skill for choral singers and conductors. The objective of this dissertation was to address the question of what strategies experienced musicians with a choral background use when reading and memorizing vocal music. This investigation consisted of four studies, each shedding light on musicians’ reading and processing strategies.
The research was conducted using a variety of methodologies, including questionnaires, individual and group interviews, verbal protocols, and eye-tracking technology to measure eye movements during the reading of notated scores. The mixed-methods research design allowed the combination and integration of quantitative and qualitative analysis and results.
Across the four... (More) - Music reading is a central skill for choral singers and conductors. The objective of this dissertation was to address the question of what strategies experienced musicians with a choral background use when reading and memorizing vocal music. This investigation consisted of four studies, each shedding light on musicians’ reading and processing strategies.
The research was conducted using a variety of methodologies, including questionnaires, individual and group interviews, verbal protocols, and eye-tracking technology to measure eye movements during the reading of notated scores. The mixed-methods research design allowed the combination and integration of quantitative and qualitative analysis and results.
Across the four studies, several key findings emerged: (a) skilled singers’ music reading processes were focused on melodic lines instead of lyrics, and influenced by the structural features of the music; (b) the individual cognitive orientation of choral conductors affected how they read during silent practice; (c) in group performances, choral singers combined typical music reading on their own voice line with information-gathering processes concerning other lines, relying on both auditory and visual cues; and (d) music students employed both holistic and segmented memorization approaches to facilitate recall. Overall, the complexity and density of the musical material had a considerable impact on the gaze patterns of musicians.
The findings may have potential implications for higher music education and choral rehearsals, as they may contribute to the development of advanced training methods and stimulate future research in the domain of choral music. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/748f84ba-6967-4151-a1dd-81cc7677e4ef
- author
- Timoshenko-Nilsson, Maria
- opponent
-
- Associate Professor of Music Education Rebecca Atkins, Hugh Hodgson School of Music, University of Georgia, USA
- publishing date
- 2024-11-23
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- eye tracking, memorization, music education, music expertise, music reading, sight reading, silent reading, singing, vocal music
- in
- Studies in Music Education Royal College of Music
- pages
- 200 pages
- publisher
- Royal College of Music
- defense location
- Nathan Milsteinsalen, Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Valhallavägen 105, Stockholm
- defense date
- 2024-11-23 13:00:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-629-0552-1
- 978-91-629-0553-8
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 748f84ba-6967-4151-a1dd-81cc7677e4ef
- date added to LUP
- 2024-10-11 15:52:49
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:05:03
@phdthesis{748f84ba-6967-4151-a1dd-81cc7677e4ef,
abstract = {{Music reading is a central skill for choral singers and conductors. The objective of this dissertation was to address the question of what strategies experienced musicians with a choral background use when reading and memorizing vocal music. This investigation consisted of four studies, each shedding light on musicians’ reading and processing strategies.<br/><br/>The research was conducted using a variety of methodologies, including questionnaires, individual and group interviews, verbal protocols, and eye-tracking technology to measure eye movements during the reading of notated scores. The mixed-methods research design allowed the combination and integration of quantitative and qualitative analysis and results.<br/><br/>Across the four studies, several key findings emerged: (a) skilled singers’ music reading processes were focused on melodic lines instead of lyrics, and influenced by the structural features of the music; (b) the individual cognitive orientation of choral conductors affected how they read during silent practice; (c) in group performances, choral singers combined typical music reading on their own voice line with information-gathering processes concerning other lines, relying on both auditory and visual cues; and (d) music students employed both holistic and segmented memorization approaches to facilitate recall. Overall, the complexity and density of the musical material had a considerable impact on the gaze patterns of musicians. <br/><br/>The findings may have potential implications for higher music education and choral rehearsals, as they may contribute to the development of advanced training methods and stimulate future research in the domain of choral music.}},
author = {{Timoshenko-Nilsson, Maria}},
isbn = {{978-91-629-0552-1}},
keywords = {{eye tracking; memorization; music education; music expertise; music reading; sight reading; silent reading; singing; vocal music}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
publisher = {{Royal College of Music}},
series = {{Studies in Music Education Royal College of Music}},
title = {{Reading Vocal Music : Eye Movements and Strategies}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/197970266/Reading_Vocal_Music.pdf}},
year = {{2024}},
}