Creation, application and analysis of choreography in choral performance, with a proposed notation system

Abstract

This thesis explores the integration of choreography into choral performances, framing concerts as multi-sensory experiences that engage both auditory and visual perception. The core objective of the study is to explore choreography creation processes and to analyze how movement is used as a tool to enhance musical expression and narrative design. The methodology combines ethnographic fieldwork including participant observation and conversations with fellow singers, developing a movement notation system for musicians' use and analyses of scores and videos. The literature review contains historical and perceptual connections between music and movement, movement in choral history, existing movement notation systems and movement classifications. Field research draws from the author's personal experience as a choral performer and a composer. This section explores the choreography creation processes and the reasoning behind them. This section exhibits that the creation process is usually a collaborative one and most of the time it happens close to the concert. The source of inspiration for creation is usually the lyrics or cultural connotations, sometimes other performances. Recognizing a gap in standardized movement notation systems tailored for musicians, the study introduces a newly developed notation system. This notation system encompasses hands, arms, body direction, steps, and spatial formations. This innovation is both a creative and analytical tool, aiming to document and communicate choreographic elements in a structured way. In the analysis section, selected performances are examined using the proposed system. On top of the hand, step and body direction movements, movement in space, movement of soloists and cultural influence on movement are also presented and the expressive potential of choreographed elements are discussed. The analysis revealed consistent correlations between musical and physical gestures in choral performances. Movements often reflect musical qualities - legato lines are matched with smooth, continuous motion, while slow arm raises frequently accompany glissandos, crescendos, or ascending melodic lines. Rhythmic patterns are visually emphasized through swaying or stepping, which can also introduce new rhythmic layers or reframe subdivisions. Movement phrases tend to mirror musical phrases, and choreographic tools like soloist isolation, formation changes, and gesture cues signal structural or expressive shifts. Repeated musical material is sometimes varied visually through choreographic additions, while contrapuntal movement can parallel musical polyphony. Spatial orientation is used dynamically - choirs face the audience during forte passages and turn away or shift position for softer dynamics, especially at conclusions. Strategic stillness, gesture-based cadential emphasis, and narrative or literal movements further enrich the performance. Cultural context also shapes choreography; various choirs incorporate regional dance elements into their movement language, enhancing both visual identity and interpretive depth. These culturally rooted gestures, drawn from folk or traditional forms, contribute to a more immersive and resonant concert experience. The conclusion highlights the study's contributions to choral composition and performance practices, emphasizing the importance of codifying movement not as a restrictive framework but as a means to enhance artistic expression. It also outlines possible directions for further research, such as broader audience studies and implementation of the system in varied choral repertoires.