Reducing cognitive load in choral rehearsal: evidence-informed conducting pedagogies based on music perception theory

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether varying degrees of conducting gesture complexity would influence choral musicians' perceived cognitive load and their evaluations of rehearsal effectiveness. Two choral directors were recorded leading 1-min segments from Eric Whitacre's Lux Aurumque using simplified, standard, and elaborated conducting gestures. These six recordings were then paired with an identical high-quality choral audio track or a separate sight-reading audio excerpt. University choral ensemble participants (N = 120; novice, n = 60; experienced, n = 60) viewed all six stimulus recordings and assessed both their perceived cognitive load and the effectiveness of the rehearsal process. Participants also composed one brief written observation about either the conductor or the rehearsal after each video. Findings revealed that gesture complexity had a statistically significant impact on ratings of both cognitive load and rehearsal effectiveness. A significant interaction emerged between gesture complexity (simplified, standard, and elaborated) and rehearsal context (sight-reading or polishing) with respect to cognitive load assessments. Participants indicated that the elaborated gesture condition during sight-reading imposed the highest cognitive demands. The standard gesture approach received the most favorable effectiveness ratings regardless of rehearsal context. Written observations predominantly addressed conductor behaviors rather than rehearsal outcomes, with the elaborated-gesture recordings generating the highest proportion of negative responses.