The world's largest music experiment revealed that the audience collectively held their breath

Listening to music through speakers at home is one thing. Going to a concert and seeing the musicians perform on stage is something entirely different. 

What happens to us? What interaction occurs between the audience and the musicians? 

These were among the questions that music researcher Alexander Refsum Jensenius sought to explore. Together with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's (NRK) broadcasting orchestra KORK and the radio programme Abels tårn, he organised the world's largest music experiment in June 2024. 

“A lot of music research has focused on reading sheet music. We study music as an experience, looking at what it does to our bodies, thoughts, and emotions. To do that, it's important to step out of the lab,” says Jensenius. 

He heads RITMO, a Centre of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion at the University of Oslo. 

The audience collectively held their breath

The musicians, along with some audience members, wore vests that measured breathing, pulse, and movement. The conductor wore a motion-tracking suit and a specialised pair of glasses, enabling researchers to follow his gaze. Reflective wristbands, captured by an infrared camera, recorded the audience's movements. 

Radio listeners were also involved and answered questions. Additionally, the researchers interviewed both musicians and the audience. They also distributed questionnaires to everyone who participated.

“Never before has there been such extensive data collection from a concert. This is precisely why we refer to it as the world's largest music experiment,” says Jensenius. 

Delving into and analysing such a comprehensive dataset takes time, but the researchers have already documented a significant amount of information. One example is what they call the stillness effect. 

While it is well known that music makes us move, both physically and emotionally, the opposite can also happen.

“We clearly observed that, at certain moments during the concert, the music compelled the audience to sit perfectly still. It's especially music that stirs strong emotions that prompts the audience to quiet together,” says Jensenius.  

The infrared camera also revealed where the audience moved more and where they synchronised their movements. 

Reminded of concerts after July 22 terrorist attack

Jensenius is particularly interested in the social aspects that come with concerts. Bonds and a sense of community form between people who may not know each other. 

“As social creatures, this likely explains why concerts are so popular. Findings regarding audience movement, stillness, and synchronised breathing illustrate how attending a concert integrates us into a community,” he says.  

We are also curious. We enjoy seeing things happen in the moment, such as how musicians create music on various instruments. This is another motivation for attending concerts.

“But it's also interesting to study those who listen to the radio. We've discovered that people who tune in to live concerts on the radio experience a heightened level of engagement compared to when they listen to recordings,” he says.  

The researchers found a greater emotional response among the audience than the musicians, which is natural since the audience was hearing it for the first time while the musicians were at work. However, there was one exception. 

“The orchestra played a Beethoven piece that they had performed during the memorial ceremony after the July 22 terrorist attack. There was a strong response from the musicians here, and they later spoke about how the piece triggered powerful memories,” says Jensenius. 

Empathetic people are most affected 

The research combines art and science, body and soul. Many phenomena being studied are well-known, such as music evoking joy, sadness, celebratory moods, and a range of emotions. 

“But many myths exist, and much hasn't been documented before,” says Jensenius.

This is fundamental research, and the findings spark interest in many other fields, including music therapy, linguistics, and robotics. 

Among the audience, it was particularly the Enigma Variation Nimrod by composer Edward Elgar that evoked emotions. 

“Many reported getting goosebumps from this piece. In the data, we see a high degree of heart rate variability, meaning the frequency between heartbeats varies. This indicates that something emotional is happening,” the researcher explains.

Jensenius explains that there seems to be a certain type of person who is most affected by the music. There are no differences between men and women, or young and old. However, they do see that those who score high on empathy tend to be more emotionally moved by music than others. 

More intense and lively without a conductor 

Harald Sæverud's composition Kjempeviseslåtten also evoked a powerful emotional response from the audience. This spirited piece, written during World War II, references the resistance movement and the 'heroic ballads' found in folk music. 

“However, it was when the conductor stopped conducting and sat down to play himself that the audience was most captivated,” says Jensenius. 

Occasionally, KORK performs without a conductor. The researchers were curious to explore the effect of this. The piece was played twice, both with and without a conductor, for comparison.

“Without a conductor, the musicians had to rely more heavily on each other, which sharpened their listening and eye contact. They became more exploratory and present, adding intensity and nerve to the music. Our data indicate an increase in heart rate among both the audience and the musicians,” says Jensenius.

Jensenius suggests that this might relate to the concept that expressions that are not overly polished can often be more vibrant and engaging. 

The glasses worn by the conductor revealed that he conducted as much with his gaze as with his hands. 

“We observed that he's consistently a step ahead, gauging when and where it's necessary to cue the musicians,” he says.  

The universal power of music 

Alexander Refsum Jensenius notices signs that musicians and the audience synchronise their breathing at certain moments. This intriguing finding is one that the music researchers are eager to explore further. 

“During a previous research concert with the Danish String Quartet, we discovered that the musicians' heartbeats synchronised as they played. This finding was surprising, yet it aligned with the musicians' own experiences and observations,” he says. 

Since KORK has different instrument groups, he does not expect to find the same phenomenon across the entire orchestra. However, it might occur within some groups of instruments, such as the violinists. 

“What are you particularly hoping to uncover once you have finished analysing the data from the world's largest music experiment?” 

“Music is a universal phenomenon, present in every culture and integral to daily life and ceremonies, from cradle to grave. Everyone relates to music in their own way. But why does music have such a profound effect on us, and how can that power be harnessed? That's what we aim to offer more insight into,” says Jensenius.

Read more about the experiment, listen to the radio show, and see more photos on the event's website.

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