Sara D'Amario

• D¡¯Amario, Sara & Bishop, Laura (2025). Self-reported experiences of togetherness in classical music ensembles. Psychology of Music. ISSN 0305-7356. p. 1¨C19. doi: 10.1177/03057356251381808. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Musicians experience varying degrees of musical togetherness, defined as a sense of social connectedness that they experience with co-performer(s) in music ensembles. Previous investigations focused on optimal experiences and suggested a link between social connections and musical and contextual aspects. However, it is not fully understood how this concept aligns with musicians¡¯ experiences of togetherness. This research analysed experiences of togetherness in classical ensemble performances, based on semi-structured interviews with 22 advanced music students. Thematic content analysis demonstrates the emergence of four main themes associated with togetherness experiences as follows: (1) togetherness sensation, (2) quality of the interpersonal relationships, (3) performance settings, and (4) ensemble skills. This study broadens our understanding of ensemble playing experiences and reveals how togetherness experiences can arise or be negatively affected. These results are valuable to ensemble pedagogy and social interactions.

• D¡¯Amario, Sara & Jensenius, Alexander Refsum (2025). Cardiac Coherence among Musicians and Audiences During Orchestra Performances. Music & Science. 8, p. 1¨C15. doi: 10.1177/20592043251370977. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Recent empirical investigations suggest that music performance and perception can evoke a collective cardiac response in performers and audience members, and interpersonal cardiac coupling can be related to musical features. However, the relationship between musicians¡¯ and audiences¡¯ cardiac responses is poorly understood. This study investigates the interpersonal cardiac coherence of selected audience members and performers from the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra during multiple performances of Harald S?verud¡¯s Kjempevisesl?tten. The cardiac coherence index (CCI) was computed by applying the intrinsic synchrosqueezing transform to the cardiac interbeat interval of each signal, combining noise-assisted multivariate empirical mode decomposition and short-time Fourier transforms. The results show that the CCI values among the audience members were stronger than those of the musicians. Sound pressure level measurements predicted the musicians¡¯ CCI values, whilst musical form structure predicted the audiences¡¯ CCI values. These results advance our understanding of how cardiac rhythms support interpersonal interactions and contribute to research on live orchestra performances.

• D'Amario, Sara; Schmidbauer, Harald; Roesch, Angi; Goebl, Werner; Niemand, Anna Maria & Bishop, Laura (2023). Interperformer coordination in piano-singing duo performances: phrase structure and empathy impact. Psychological Research. ISSN 0340-0727. 87, p. 2559¨C2582. doi: 10.1007/s00426-023-01818-8. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Musicians¡¯ body motion plays a fundamental role in ensemble playing, by supporting sound production, communication, and expressivity. This research investigates how Western classical musicians¡¯ head motion during ensemble performances relates to a piece¡¯s phrase structure and musicians¡¯ empathic perspective taking (EPT) profile. Twenty-four advanced piano and singing students took part in the study, and their EPT score was pre-assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. High and low EPT duos were formed, and musicians were paired with a co-performer from the same and the other EPT group. Musicians rehearsed Faur¨¦¡¯s Automne and Schumann¡¯s Die Kartenlegerin, and performed the pieces one time before and three times after rehearsal. Motion capture data of the musicians¡¯ front head, audio, and MIDI recordings of the performances were collected and analysed. Similarity in musicians¡¯ head motion and tendency to lead/lag their co-performer were computed by extracting, respectively, power and phase difference of the cross-wavelet transforms of the velocity curves of each paired marker. Results demonstrate that the power of interperformer coordination corresponds to the piece¡¯s phrase levels and that singer¡¯s EPT can impact the leader-follower relationships between musicians, depending on piece and take number. In the Faur¨¦ piece, the higher the singer¡¯s EPT score, the higher the tendency for the singer to lead and pianist to follow in take 3, and the lower the tendency for the singer to lead and pianist to follow in take 2. These results contribute to a further understanding of the mechanisms underpinning social interactions, by revealing the complexity of the association between empathy and body motion in ensembles in promoting and diffusing leadership between musicians.

• D'Amario, Sara; Ternstr?m, Sten; Goebl, Werner & Bishop, Laura (2023). Body motion of choral singers. Frontiers in Psychology. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1220904. Full text in Research Archive

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• D'Amario, Sara; Ternstr?m, Sten & Friberg, Anders (2023). Proceedings of the Stockholm Music Acoustics Conference. KTH Royal Institute of Technology. ISBN 9789180408653. 194 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• D'Amario, Sara & Jensenius, Alexander Refsum (2025). Workshop on Women Musicians Wellbeing. doi: https:/www.uio.no/ritmo/english/news-and-events/events/workshops/2025/women-wellbeing/. Full text in Research Archive
• D'Amario, Sara; L?ve, Andreas; Foldal, Maja Dyhre & Jensenius, Alexander Refsum (2025). Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Responses of Professional Violinists during Orchestra Performances. Full text in Research Archive
• D'Amario, Sara (2025). Well-being Experiences of Professional Women Musicians during Live Concert Performances. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

• D'Amario, Sara & Bishop, Laura (2024). Self-Reported Experiences of Musical Togetherness in Music Ensembles. Full text in Research Archive
• D'Amario, Sara (2024). Cardiac coupling of orchestral musicians and audience members during orchestra performances. Full text in Research Archive
• Bishop, Laura & D'Amario, Sara (2024). Methods tracking four-hand piano performances. Full text in Research Archive

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