Influence of a Conductor’s Expressive Intention on Group Cohesion Within a Choir and the Quality of the Performance

The quality of a choral performance is well known to be affected by the nonverbal behaviors of the conductor. The conductor strives not only to perform the score as written, but also to facilitate musical communication among the singers during the performance. However, whether the conductor’s intention regarding musical expression or sound images through nonverbal behavior influences group cohesion within a choir and enhances the quality of a performance remains unclear. In the present study, we conducted a questionnaire survey to examine the influence of conducting, involving expressive intention, on group cohesion within a choir and the quality of the performance. Nine conductors (5 females, 4 males) and four choirs (two mixed choirs, two female choirs) participated in this study. The conductors performed a piece twice with a choir under two conditions: conducting accurately as written (ACC) and conducting that includes expressive intention (EXP). The conducting and choral performances were then evaluated by experts. Both the choral performance evaluation by experts and group cohesion evaluation by choral singers were significantly higher under the EXP than under the ACC condition. In addition, the conductor’s expressive intention was more closely associated with social integration within the choir. The present findings suggest that conducting that includes musical expression can improve group cohesion among choral singers and the quality of a choral performance.