Individual expressive performance: Its relationship to ensemble achievement, technical achievement, and musical background

Participation in an expressive ensemble may be inappropriately presumed to produce expressive independence in individual ensemble members. This study is an examination of relationships between individual expressive achievemen t of choral ensembles, (b) technical performance, and (c) musical backgroun d. Subjects included 11 high school choral ensembles and 82 individual ense mble members. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed no sign ificant relationships between individual and ensemble expressive achievemen t. Correlations showed technical and expressive performance to be strongly related. Significantly related musical background factors from a MANOVA inc luded: (a) involvement in outside performing groups, (b) semesters of high school choir, (c) private vocal lessons, and (d) age of first private lesso ns. The study provided grounds for questioning the assumption that expressi ve ensembles yield expressive individuals.