"Coordination and Auditory Attention in Ensemble Singing"

Abstract: When musicians perform together, they coordinate their actions with flexibility and precision. Musical scores provide visual outlines of key events, but ensembles must make collective decisions about timing and expression as a performance unfolds. In real time, musicians anticipate upcoming musical events—guided by the score and memories of past performances—and adapt to the idiosyncrasies of the current performance. Musicians rely on nonverbal communication strategies and dynamically allocate their auditory attention according to the demands of the music to coordinate with one another.

This research examines the role of the musical score in the deployment of auditory attention in vocal ensembles. Using a naturalistic music performance paradigm, we explore coordination and attention in different musical score conditions through continuous self-annotation measures, audio and video analyses, and post-performance reports. Results offer insights into the dynamics of joint cognition, shared attention, and social cognition more broadly.