So I started out this blog with a very broad idea and topic focusing on the general dynamic between performers and audience in a concert. I focused on a handful of genres to compare and contrast and was fortunate to have had a chance to talk to many very interesting people in the UCSD music community. With this, I had a difficult time narrowing it down as much as I probably should have. Since my project was almost completely based on interviews, I admit to feeling like I had an obligation to make use of all the great things everyone told me. I talked to 15 people, but still didn't feel like I had enough since I covered so many styles of music. I think that the topic turned out to be too ambitious for what I could have realistically accomplished in 9 weeks.
I did manage to narrow my focus down to a couple specific things however. For the performance side, I focused on performance anxiety and the direct affects on one's comfort on stage. This was found to be a combination of personal matters and a direct connection with the audience and environment. The differences were not so much inherent in genre, as I thought may be the case, but the main factors seemed to be 1. confidence/how much the performer prepared and 2. solo vs group. These two can be applied across all genres, though I did find that the performance practices and environment revolving around certain genres (NOT necessarily inherent in the music itself) did have an affect as well. For example, the silent audience watching a soloist on stage under a spotlight was deemed to be much more nerve-wracking than a casual pop cover at a coffee shop where the audience may not be as focused. Other factors included who's in the audience and what the audience is doing. This is of course directly tied to the audience angle of my project as well.
I looked into the audiences hoping to receive possible insight on how they may also affect the performers. I started out by asking them what draws them to watch concerts - the answer being seen as "validation" and showing why certain behaviors and such would affect the performer. For example, many cite that they mainly attend concerts because they have to. From a performer's perspective, it may not always be fun performing for those who are just there out of obligation and not to watch you perform specifically...thus potentially leading to increased levels of anxiety. One of my interviewees did say that she gets very nervous when she notices people in the audience writing or sleeping in the audience as she worried about being too boring. Across genres, there didn't seem to be a huge difference in what draws people to concerts. It seems to be a general set of ideas (socialization, support, education...) that vary in levels with regards to the genre. People are drawn to the concerts that better match their personality/goals at any given time.
I mentioned that in class today that I was drawn to this topic because I'm a performer who generally doesn't like to perform (OK, so maybe that makes me not a performer). Looking back and talking to others for the most part made me feel better as it showed that I'm not the only one who struggles with this. I was able to relate with most of them as a performer, but as I stepped back my relation seemed to be most of fascination and curiosity. The idea of performing to me really is a curious thing - it's natural for many, but others like myself, there are times when it feels painfully unnatural having to stand (or in my case sit) in front of an audience and finish whatever I set to do while my body is screaming to run away. Even though I remained unsure today, I think it ultimately is worth it. Performance can be a moment of great power to engage, inspire, educate as well as an emotional form of communication while bringing people together that just cannot be replicated. And I think this is true across all genres.
I think your presentation was very relevant to our class as most of us, if not all, have been involved in music performance at some time in our lives. In regards to your research about the UCSD audience motivations, it's totally true and also sad that most people come to music performances just for their friends or because they have to, and not out of genuine curiosity. I wonder if this is something that is widespread for any university music scene, or something specific to the climate of UCSD itself. In my opinion, I feel that this would be reflected at any large university. When I consider what I think what the majority of our generation values today, I would place musical exploration somewhere near the bottom. Not just any musical exploration though, but specifically live venues. We are very tied to technology today and I think that makes us "lazy" to get out into the real world. Like you said, although many people who came didn't come for the music, they did end up enjoying it in the end. However, it is very hard for people to get the push to go out and attend these performances willingly to later enjoy them. I really do wonder what would have to be done to draw the average UCSD student out to the plentiful music performances held on campus. Location is already convenient enough. I suppose enjoying the performances at UCSD will have be done peripherally through other motivations, such as class assignments or free food, for the time being and maybe for the long run.
ReplyDeleteI think Amy's last comment of Free Food is pretty accurate. Whenever I see that around campus on a poster or bulletin board, it's typically one of the larger visual elements on the poster to attract students to attend. And needless to say, it works. Unfortunately, that should not be the reason as to why students should attend events, especially those in relation to music and its performance. I partly feel that the current emphasis on technology and the immediacy of access to a wide range of luxuries (internet, music, photos, etc) makes it easy to do these things from the comfort of one's own home. There is less of an incentive to go out and hear something live (even more so when it's an expense) when you can simply watch it or stream it online. What I do notice is that when random passerby's notice a performer, they usually stop and watch/listen for a bit before returning to their task at hand, and from these short informal performances, I've seen people return to a more formal setting of the performance.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the motivation within the audience to actively go support the community and watch/listen etc. can be further explored through more impromptu and live performances that act as a 'teaser' for the actual performance.
From the performer's perspective, I find that in the situations you have addressed in your project, the concert setting of Western Classical music performance do not aid the performer in any way whatsoever. All focus and attention is on the performer, often times there are also focused stage lights that hamper the vision of the performer, making the audience hard to see and can add to the stress. The temperature increase from stage lights also doesn't help. I think a combination of these external forces with the internal pressures of perfection are very large proponents of the performance anxiety that you addressed in your project.
It is a sad situation as you two described, but I admit that such incentives also get people to expose themselves to music they otherwise would not be interested in. It works for me as well...I rarely regret attending concerts but honestly and sadly, I'm often too lazy to take the time. My biggest concern regarding this situation is that I feel it devalues the performer and the art in a way. It's like I'm not worth watching unless I provide food.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is also personal interest that should be taken into account. The music that is usually presented here at UCSD isn't always the most approachable or the easiest to understand. Most people who aren't music majors don't have much incentive to broaden to music that can so often be harsh or with more complex structures than the usual pop song that is so common these days. With that in mind I can't say that I'm all that surprised that most people attended a concert to support a friend or for a class, but I also agree with the assessment that with the technology we have today that there is even less incentive to go and pay to see performances live when so often you can just find them online, which is really too bad, because there is always an element in live performance that isn't captured in a recording.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about the audience though, and how that effects a performer. If a crowd is unable to respond due to etiquette or just sits silently it can be really unnerving to a performer, whether they are in a group or especially when doing a solo performance. In some ways the performer is gauging how well they are doing depending on how the audience reacts to their performance. Usually a quiet audience means that they aren't enjoying themselves and therefor the performance is going poorly. I myself enjoy performance, but I have a lot of performance anxiety so I found this presentation to be a really good one, and one that I could personally relate to.
I agree with Brent on how technology has played a role in attracting less people to live shows, in which for someone to be attracted to a live performance would be a larger reason than just for the music, which is mostly to see a friend or get free food (applies to UCSD audience).
ReplyDeleteAs for your insights on performance anxiety Megan, I believe they are spot on! It does come down to the performer and his confidence, but also the environment has an affect on the performer (concert hall solo vs. pub solo. Great job with your research!
I agree with Brent Wong on the personal interest matter. When I started going to music hall performances at our school, it took a bit of effort to try to get my friends to go with me, and ultimately, only those who needed to go for a class were willing to go. However, when it came to other performances, like those at Porter's Pub or RIMAC where the music was more accessible, I did not really have do as much persuasive work.
ReplyDeleteI think the experimental label that sticks with a lot of the music from our school turns many students away from going to many live performances. I've heard several conversations where someone asks someone else what kind of music our school is known for and the reply the other person would give would be along the lines of "it's experimental music. Just a bunch of noise" or "It's stupid. It doesn't make sense. It sucks." And many seem to just go off of that description or develop on their own some notion that it's all a bunch of nonsensical noise and stay away.
An interesting fact regarding the free food comment:
ReplyDeleteWhen I was appointed as the AVP of AS Concerts & Events, I made it a goal of mine to implement a campus-wide survey that essentially said what the students want. After the results were in (~2500 students responded), it was clear to me that what the students wanted were free events, and furthermore, free events that offered free things. Surprisingly, students were only slightly interested in paying for shows that featured national touring artists.
My explanation for this phenomenon is that this is a college with broke college students that have no incentive to spend money on anything that is not essential. As a result, the majority of the student body will not spend money on entertainment. If they do, it is probably because they had to. I understand that this is a massive assumption, but I believe that UCSD has a strangely unique student body. We are not like other college campuses. Other schools call us UC Socially Dead for a reason. As I found in my research as well, shows on campus had audiences that consisted mainly of students that "had to be there" or an older demographic that will be there no matter who is playing.
It is heartening as a performer to know how widespread performance anxiety is, and, like you, Megan, I have flirted with the "is it worth it in the end" question, ultimately arriving at the same conclusion. For me, I am least anxious when the audience is not of my peers (other classically trained musicians I am essentially competing with- my superiors [ex. professors at juries] don't rattle me) as well as when I am playing something that I enjoy and want to share. I have to be able to think of it as giving a performance to a receptive audience who are there to enjoy the same music that I enjoy, not judge me or try to find flaws (which I know no one is really trying to do, but logic isn't exactly applicable on stage most of the time!). I have no problem playing other students' compositions, or at weddings, because both of those are not about my performance, they are about the piece or the event. Perhaps if the audience was in a better mood (food?) they would be more like happy, supportive wedding guests/friends/parents and would create a happier vibe for all involved!
ReplyDeleteI find it really interesting that you found that the reasons as to why people attend concerts doesn't really vary. I definitely would think otherwise. For instance people might go to a rock concert to drink a socialize but might attend a classical concert because they have to or to support someone. I also think it would have been really cool if you looked at settings and observed how that influenced why people went. Like at a classical concert you can't go and hang out with people and eat or drink because it probably in a nice concert hall, whereas if you go to a bar they want you to buy drink and socialize but also enjoy the music.
ReplyDeleteYou also mentioned that the performer feels pressure from the audience, but I was wondering if, when interviewing audience members, they mentioned a sense of going to judge someone's performance? This might be a silly question but if you're going to support someone you're not going to judge them, so I wonder how many people go to concerts to be critical.
I suppose since Megan's greater focus was on concert attendance & performance at UCSD, specifically at CPMC (correct me if I'm wrong Megan!), the answers may undoubtedly be quite similar. I find pretty similar reasons when I go to concerts at CPMC.
ReplyDeleteI think the social aspect & context of different types of performances [as Afsar mentioned] would be a very interesting topic to discuss. Ben has brought up in the past that the 20th & 21st century practice of extremely rigid & formal classical music performance is a later tradition, NOT something that was done in the past. People used to get drunk & pig out at operas & concerts (even in nice concert halls). It is a rather recent development that it has become so...uptight. WHY?
At the same time, there is the side of classical music performance from the side of the musicians. What concertgoers (for classical music) might not know is that...classical musicians know how to enjoy themselves as well. Eating, drinking, & socializing is not something done by the non-classical musician/non-classical concertgoer. Oftentimes the end of a concert is the ONLY excuse classical musicians have to finally cut loose, relax, and socialize. There is a very special atmosphere of satisfaction, relief, and relaxation after ages of hard work - it is a different kind of easygoing relaxation from the casual concerts just in that it takes place AFTER. Without this communal sort of outlet of all concert-related tension, I'm sure music would be far less enjoyable. This would bring up the question of why musicians are musicians. Sure, there is the love of music, but there is an undeniable community element as well, even if it may not be as obvious to an audience member who sees only the rigidness & seriousness of the performance setting.
The performance pressure...I sometimes think it is more psychological than anything audience members actively do. It's a psyching-out of oneself that nervous performers (like Megan & myself) go through. We are always going to be out harshest critique, and in a high-stakes setting like a Final Recital or Jury Performance, our minds may catastrophize everything & project our own fears as being something coming from that generalized entity [the audience]. I think criticism is unavoidable [even in performance settings that are meant to be 'uncritical' - it is like claiming to be 'unbiased'...but everybody is. it's just a matter of what you do with this bias, or criticism], but I doubt people would ever claim to go to be critical. But classical music performance has a LOT to do with technical accuracy & when a mistake is made..Same goes for other music where technical accuracy may not be a huge thing, but something else probably is. Of course the people who go to support friends/family are not going to say they're critical, but many go to see peers & role models, in which case I feel it is rather important to be critical to some extent. There is a general appreciation for the work put into it but at the end of the day, a bad performance is a bad performance, regardless of the genre. But this makes an amazing performance THAT much more amazing - when you can find no fault and you are just so blown away. I live for moments like this, when I see a performance SO awesome that I don't even have words to describe it.
ahh...sorry this was a really long 'comment'...
I really enjoyed your presentation and thought it was really cool how you interviewed/surveyed so many people. I could really relate to what you were talking about being a musician yet hating to perform. I'm quite fine performing in a group setting like with my ensemble, but when I'm by myself shear panic arrives (which is ultimately a confidence thing just like you pointed out...and possibly a personality type thing). At times I feel questioned as to am I really a musician. I don't do much performing on my own in front of an audience and try to avoid it if truly possible, and I don't have a musical performance concentration so it's quite often I feel I am doubted in my skill set because of this performance anxiety.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with Eunah that this is a psychological thing and mostly from an inner psychology, however I feel as though in the Western Art Music world due to the audience and performer relationship that a lot of that personal pressure and lack of confidence is also due to the structure in this relationship between audience member performer. In Western Art Music when performing in a concert the performer is usually on some elevated stage that is risen above the audience member with lights solely on them highlighting them and it's importance.
Like many musicians I've also been an audience member, and within the Western Art Music World, I feel there are expectations when your watching and listening to a performance, and especially from a performer performing a piece you know. There can be/is this preconceived notion of structure when an audience member walks into a concert hall and takes a seat to listen, and should you not feed that want and expectation by doing what they like or think is correct then your creativity and musicianship is questioned...
I think Afsar's point of the audience's mentality is an interesting one to consider. Does the subject matter make a difference in the audience's expectation of the performance? It may make a difference, but no because of the type of performance (i.e. blues vs. classical) but the type of audience present. A classical music audience member might be present to judge a specific music and might be more specific in his/her judgments.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I have experience as a performer and I can say firsthand that pressure is everpresent regardless of the genre of music being played. It's as if the content of the music is irrelevant. The fact that it is being performed in front of an audience at all is enough to conjure up nerves.
As a WAM performer, you presentation was especially applicable. I definitely agree that the stage fright part is mostly psychological and that we are our own worst critic but it is still there. I have also considered whether music performance is worth it because of the stage fright. However, hen i consider not performing, it definitely is worth it.
ReplyDeleteI am curious how the strict rules for performances was started. If things were so much more relaxed 150 years ago, what happened? In one of my other posts, I mentioned how in an orchestra concert, the concertmaster did not stand up to welcome the conductor. While this meant we did not symbolize our respect for him, it was not as much of an issue as one performer said. She was saying how she was horribly embarrassed and that the concert wasn't worth it. I find it really shocking that one tiny tradition can make such a difference to people.
At the same time, I think about the more casual concert/performances that I've been to. The pianist at Nordstroms usually doesn't have an audience. The concerts at Balboa park are awesome but they are usually very short or in some cases, very amateur. Also, the audience walk in and out all the time which is very distracting to the performer.
It also makes me think from the other side as a performer. I like the lights being bright because then I can pretend only the people I want to have hear me are there. They are very hot but luckily then my fingers don't get too cold to play. While the silence is very intimidating, there also aren't anyone talking (hopefully) to distract me. I have very mixed feelings on this.