Music as an invitation: liveness in digital piano performances through participating audiences

Music as an invitation: liveness in digital piano performances through participating audiences

This research investigates participation in digital musical performances as a way to enhance a sense of liveness - i.e., the feeling of being connected to other people. For the last 18 months, digital concerts have become the norm due to the restrictions on social interaction during the pandemic. Yet such digital events often challenge the relationship between performer and audience by compromising the experience of liveness. Using Participatory Action Research methods, I will work with women and girls to collaboratively create online piano performances where I am the main performer. Audience feedback and my own reflections as the performer, supported by literature review, will inform knowledge about the intensification of the relational and affective aspects of the music experience and its impact on the sense of liveness. My dual expertise as a musician (pianist) and qualitative researcher are essential here, as they allow me to undertake research both on and through the topic. By focusing research on audiences of women and girls I aim to address the specific lack of opportunities for these groups and challenge the traditional obstacles to participation in classical music. In this way the project will contribute to positive change towards more inclusive music practices for the post-pandemic and digitalised world. Research outputs will be a series of digital concerts which will be streamed via YouTube and music festivals, reflective short essays, two articles to be published in peer-reviewed journals, a technical handbook, and a book of personal reflections integrating researcher and audience perspectives. This research aims to innovate through applying ideas and methods from areas such as music performance, digital technologies, participatory arts, and gender studies. This project will enable me with skills and competencies to become an innovative and socially engaged performer and academic who is a leader in my field and an inspiration for future generations.