<str<strong>on</strong>g>CIM09</str<strong>on</strong>g> 26-29 octobre 2009Theatrical Expressivity of Berio’s Sequenza for Viola:Levels of Communicati<strong>on</strong>Blanka BogunovićInstitute for Educati<strong>on</strong>al Research and University of Arts, Faculty of Music, Belgrade (Serbia)Tijana Popović MladjenovićDepartment of <strong>Musicology</strong>, University of Arts, Faculty of Music, Belgrade (Serbia)Ivana PerkovićDepartment of <strong>Musicology</strong>, University of Arts, Faculty of Music, Belgrade (Serbia)BACKGROUND IN MUSIC PSYCHOLOGYDifferent levels of communicati<strong>on</strong> – expressi<strong>on</strong>al and kinesthetical – and their interacti<strong>on</strong>s are the core ofthis study. We focus <strong>on</strong> the tetrad: composer – viola – performer – audience. During the communicati<strong>on</strong>flow performer c<strong>on</strong>veys messages by interpretati<strong>on</strong>, but also by n<strong>on</strong>-verbal channels inducing a kind of‘motor mimicry’ and emoti<strong>on</strong>al appercepti<strong>on</strong>. We searched for answers to the questi<strong>on</strong>s such as: How doexpressive movements, posture, gesture and mime of the performer induce resp<strong>on</strong>se of the listener? Towhich extent is the specific timbre of viola resp<strong>on</strong>sible for inducement of mood, related fantasy andmetaphor c<strong>on</strong>tents <strong>on</strong> the part of the listeners/spectators? What is the c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> between visual andauditory expressi<strong>on</strong> and the pers<strong>on</strong>al experience of the audience?BACKGROUND IN MUSIC HISTORYIn Sequenzas Luciano Berio requires the ‘virtuosity of knowledge’ from the performer, a virtuosity thatoften entails a thoroughgoing understanding of the history of instrument. Sequenza VI for viola (written in1967 for Serge Collot) is a work of c<strong>on</strong>siderable difficulty which c<strong>on</strong>tinuously repeats, develops andtransforms the same basic harm<strong>on</strong>ic sequence (Berio). It draws researcher’s attenti<strong>on</strong> to the history of theinstrument <strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>e side and analytical presentati<strong>on</strong> of the work, <strong>on</strong> the other side. In performance acti<strong>on</strong>s,the body of the player and the body of the instrument become a single entity. The expectati<strong>on</strong>s ofperformer's behavior and of instrument's sound work reciprocally to exploit and challenge assumpti<strong>on</strong>s ofaudience: unusual physical gestures are leading the instrument to sound strangely, while unusual musicalgestures are causing the performer to move in unanticipated ways. Physical theatricality is also found inaural and visual drama of Sequenza VI (Halfyard).AIMSWe aim to reveal the quality of musical/auditive, expressi<strong>on</strong>al, metaphorical and kinesthetic levels ofcommunicati<strong>on</strong> in the tetrad: Berio’s Sequenza VI, viola performer, his instrument and the audience, todiscover the c<strong>on</strong>tent, scope and directi<strong>on</strong>s of their interacti<strong>on</strong>s, as well as to c<strong>on</strong>firm possible differencesc<strong>on</strong>sidering age and professi<strong>on</strong>al expertise.MAIN CONTRIBUTIONOur method is a pilot acti<strong>on</strong> research that includes live performing in fr<strong>on</strong>t of the selected audience, andindividual and mutual resp<strong>on</strong>ses of viola player and group of listeners <strong>on</strong> musical, cognitive, expressi<strong>on</strong>aland kinesthetic level. Subsequently, qualitative analysis of participants’ reports, narratives, and visualexpressi<strong>on</strong>s has been d<strong>on</strong>e, as well as the systematic empirical evaluati<strong>on</strong> of the performer’s and audiencemovements that took place at the parallel/same time recorded by three cameras. Luciano Berio’s SequenzaVI for viola solo is played live by eminent Serbian performer. Sample is c<strong>on</strong>sisted of 23 participants dividedinto the three groups, based <strong>on</strong> the level of expertise: 1. viola students of different age (high school, BAstudents, PhD students) 2. excepti<strong>on</strong>al performers, composers and theoreticians and 3. n<strong>on</strong>musicians ofdifferent professi<strong>on</strong>al profiles. The results suggest that there are patterns of musical, expressi<strong>on</strong>al andkinesthetic interacti<strong>on</strong>s viewed through the psychological and social c<strong>on</strong>text of communicati<strong>on</strong>. Theatricalexpressivity induced psychical and emoti<strong>on</strong>al resp<strong>on</strong>ses in the majority of participants, but metacognitiveelaborati<strong>on</strong>s were more in the domain of musical experts. A certain number of participants directlyassociated music to drama, tragedy, theater and film. It has been c<strong>on</strong>firmed that there are significantdifferences in scope of resp<strong>on</strong>ses c<strong>on</strong>cerning different age and professi<strong>on</strong>al groups, especially in the scope ofcognitive and expressive resp<strong>on</strong>ses.40 <str<strong>on</strong>g>CIM09</str<strong>on</strong>g>
26-29 octobre 2009 <str<strong>on</strong>g>CIM09</str<strong>on</strong>g>IMPLICATIONSThis study is introductory that will provide basis for further research ideas in the realm ofcommunicati<strong>on</strong> within the musical tetrad. Berio’s music dem<strong>on</strong>strates that expressi<strong>on</strong> does not comenecessarily from any sentimentalism: the capacity of expressi<strong>on</strong> is written in the human nature. The musicinvents <strong>on</strong> this reality which is made of time, of movements, of gestures, of multiform languages (Imberty).This knowledge could be used in the music educati<strong>on</strong> for defining differential strategies of using andfreeing body movements in a functi<strong>on</strong> of musical expressi<strong>on</strong> and live interacti<strong>on</strong> with audience.REFERENCESBerio, L. (2006). Remembering the Future (The Charles Eliot Nort<strong>on</strong> Lectures). Harvard: Harvard University Press.Grittten A. & King E. (Eds.). (2006). Music and Gesture. Burlingt<strong>on</strong>: Ashgate.Halfyard, J. K. (Ed.). (2007). Berio’s Sequenzas. Essays <strong>on</strong> Performance, Compositi<strong>on</strong> and Analysis. Burlingt<strong>on</strong>:Ashgate.Imberty, M. (2005). La musique creuse le temps. De Wagner à Boulez : Musique, psychologie, psychanalyse. Paris:L’Harmattan.Juslin, P. & Sloboda, J.A. (2001). Music and Emoti<strong>on</strong>s. Theory and Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Purncutt, R. & McPhers<strong>on</strong>, G. E. (2002). The science and psychology of music performance: creative strategies forteaching and learning. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.William<strong>on</strong>, A. (2006). Musical Exellence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.BIOGRAPHIESBlanka BogunovićCurrent positi<strong>on</strong> Senior Researcher, Institute for Educati<strong>on</strong>al Research, Belgrade, SerbiaAssistant Professor of Psychology/Music Psychology, Faculty of Music,University of Arts, Belgrade, SerbiaMain field of research Music psychology, Educati<strong>on</strong>al PsychologyMain research areas Giftedness in arts, socio-psychological factors of performanceand musical success, specialized music educati<strong>on</strong>, motivati<strong>on</strong>,Relevant qualificati<strong>on</strong>s Bachelor of Music (flute), University of Arts, Belgrade, Serbia, 1983.Ph.D. in Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, 2004.Book publicati<strong>on</strong>s Musical Talent and Successfulness (2008). Belgrade (Serb.)Co-editor of School-Family Cooperati<strong>on</strong> (2007). Belgrade (Serb.)Editorial boards Journal of the Institute for Educati<strong>on</strong>al Research, Belgrade, SerbiaC<strong>on</strong>tact jubo@kbcnet.co.rs /bbogunovic@rcub.bg.ac.yuTijana Popović MladjenovićCurrent positi<strong>on</strong> Assistant Professor of <strong>Musicology</strong>, University of Arts,Faculty of Music, Belgrade, SerbiaMain field of research Music history, theory and analysisMain research areas Fin-de-siècle music; C<strong>on</strong>temporary music;Processes of musical thinkingRelevant qualificati<strong>on</strong>s Ph.D. in <strong>Musicology</strong>, Department of <strong>Musicology</strong>, University of Arts, Belgrade, 2007.Book publicati<strong>on</strong>s Musical Writing (1996). Belgrade (Serb.)E lucevan le stele – Selected Excerpts from Italian and French Operatic Traditi<strong>on</strong>ed. (1997). Gornji Milanovac (Serb.)Claude Debussy and His Time (2008). Belgrade (Serb.)Processes of Panstylistic Musical Thinking (2009). Belgrade (in press) (Serb.)Editorial boards Musical Wave, musicological magazine (Belgrade)C<strong>on</strong>tact mitide@yubc.netIvana PerkovićCurrent positi<strong>on</strong> Assistant Professor of <strong>Musicology</strong>, University of Arts,Faculty of Music, Belgrade, SerbiaMain field of research Music history, theory and analysisMain research areas Orthodox music, medieval and c<strong>on</strong>temporary;19th century Serbian music; Classical styleRelevant qualificati<strong>on</strong>s Ph.D. in <strong>Musicology</strong>, Department of <strong>Musicology</strong>,University of Arts in Belgrade, 2005.Book publicati<strong>on</strong>s Music of Serbian Oktoechos (2004). Belgrade (Serb.)From Angelic Chant to Choral Art. Serbian Choral Church Music in the Periodof Romanticism (2008). Belgrade (Serb.)C<strong>on</strong>tact ivanaper@beocity.net<str<strong>on</strong>g>CIM09</str<strong>on</strong>g> 41