SONG SENSORIUM
Investigating sensory amplification in classical voice performance
Hypothesis: Amplifying sensory experiences during classical voice performances creates a more meaningful experience for audiences by enhancing the their understanding of and connection to the music.
Sense # 1
Touch
The neuroaesthetics of tactile stimuli or kinaesthesia involves the investigation of the characteristics and neural links to tactile aesthetics and has been linked to aesthetic evaluation (Jansson-Boyd & Marlow (2007).
Studies have explored aesthetic preferences for tactile stimuli (Etzi, Spence & Gallace., 2014) and the role of top-down processes in tactile appreciation.
Research has also addressed the conscious experience of pleasure in art when linked to tactile experience (Vartanian, 2018).
The role of the recital programs will reference experiments conducted by Jericevic in 2009 as an important inspiration in this element of the research project. I will explore if a tactile link to the music supports the audience’s ability to build more penetrating connections to the recital experience.
Sense # 2
Smell
Neuroscientists have proposed that the proximity of the olfactory bulb to the amygdala and hippocampus may underlie the robust connection between smell, emotion, and memory.
The amygdala plays a pivotal role in emotional processing, it is therefore theorised that this proximity contributes to the heightened emotional impact of olfaction compared to other sensory experiences.
In a collaborative study conducted by the University of Sussex and Tate Britain, participants were presented with paintings along with specific scents. Notably, individuals who were instructed to recollect the paintings using olfactory cues exhibited more emotionally vivid memories compared to those relying on verbal descriptions (Pursey & Lomas, 2018).
Sense # 3
Taste
Taste-related neuroaesthetics explores the aesthetic preferences associated with tactile and gustatory stimuli.
Studies have investigated the aesthetics of tactile stimuli (Etzi, 2014) and the role of top-down processes in tactile and visual appreciation (Jakesch, Zachuber, Leder, Spingler & Carbon, 2011).
Other research focused on the relationship between taste sensitivity and aesthetic preferences (Dewall, 2011).
Expanding on experiments conducted and associated research findings from Milan Design Week in 2018 (Reddy, Ross, Magsamen), I am interested in researching the specific connection between gustation and classical voice music through the recital series within this project.
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius
Music begins where the possibilities of language end.
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius Music begins where the possibilities of language end.
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius
Music begins where the possibilities of language end. - Jean Sibelius
Sense # 4
Sight
Vision related neuroaesthetics research has uncovered cognitive and neural processes involved in art appreciation. Bullot and Reber (2013) introduced a psycho-historical framework that offers a structured approach to understanding art appreciation, potentially serving as a model for analysing the historical and psychological facets of music and visual stimulation.
Studies exploring the prefrontal cortex's role in visual aesthetic perception by Cela-Conde in 2004 and the psychology of art appreciation (Chatterjee, 2011) provide theoretical insights, as similar neural regions may be involved during music and visual interactions, thus enriching our neuroaesthetic framework.
The exploration of how contextual information affects aesthetic engagement with visual artworks (Darda & Chatterjee, 2023) may serve as a basis for understanding how music and visual stimulation interact within various contextual settings, consequently expanding our comprehension of multisensory experiences which will be explored through this research project.
Sense # 5
Sound
Baumgartner (2006) and Brattico and Pearce (2013) have examined the emotional power of music, shedding light on its influence on the perception of affective pictures.
Additionally, Koelsch's work on the neural links of music-evoked emotions (2014a) and his proposed integrative framework for understanding musical aesthetics (2014b) provide a foundational understanding of the emotional and cognitive aspects of auditory stimuli appreciation. This serves as a launching point for my investigation into the potential influence of additional sensory stimuli on classical voice performance.
