Ethical Behavior of the Classical Music Audience

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of expected ethics of audience behavior during a classical music performance. Through a better understanding of cultural identities and practices of the classical music audience, symphony organizations may be able to more closely align audience expectations and the socialization frameworks that are present throughout the classical music experience. The researchers engaged in an ethnographic qualitative research approach in this study. Specific to this study, the researchers were engaging in gaining a greater understanding of classical music audience culture and how this may be impacting participants that are of a “marginalized” or nontraditional classical music audience group. There were 6 new-to-file ticket-buying patrons from the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera who participated in the study. The predominant theme that emerged from the focus group participants was that they like the traditional classical music experience, including venue, audience behavior expectation, and orchestration components, as it is. Further research is needed to better understand if these preferences root in long-standing structural and institutional frameworks that perpetuate cultural identities and practices and minimize audience “performance anxiety” because of reassurance of learned socialization processes (Jacobs, 2000; Mandeles, 1993). Or, if the American classical music audience of today authentically desires the concert etiquette and rituals that began in the 19th century European concert halls because the etiquette and rituals provide an ideal psychological setting for enjoyment of the classical music experience.

Development of the Social Experience of a Concert Scales (SECS): The Social Experience of a Live Western Art Music Concert Influences People's Overall Enjoyment of an Event but not Their Emotional Response to the Music

“…Regular viewers can feel that they know or understand a character, despite the interaction being nondialectical. We posit that the interaction between members of the audience fall under this title since there is a one-way flow of information, albeit largely non-verbal due to the convention not to interact during a Western art music concert (Wilson et al, 2014). In many ways parasocial relationships are easier and less demanding than social relationships as there is no sense of permanency or obligation of effort on the part of the viewer as they can withdraw at any moment by choosing to stop watching the character on the screen.…”

“…To our knowledge, parasocial interaction theory has not yet been applied to audiences of live classical concerts but, as stated above, the defining features of this type of relationship can be found in a conventional Western art music concert. Typically, audiences sit, facing the stage and, despite being surrounded by people, there is limited interaction (Wilson et al, 2014). This does not mean that audiences should be considered passive in this context, any live event is the culmination of active interactions between performers, audience members, and the environment (Toelle & Sloboda, 2021).…”