ABSTRACT

Regardless of musical genre, or performance context, the authors have demonstrated the varied ways in which audiences contribute to live performances. From the perspective of the performer will inevitably offer additional useful insights into the impact of audiences on live performances, as demonstrated in the chapters by Melissa Dobson and John Sloboda, and Karen Burland and Luke Windsor. Alf Gabrielsson has already gone some way in addressing this in relation to his work. In a society where there is concern about dwindling audiences for arts events and a climate of ever-decreasing funding for the arts. Sara Cohen discussed in her chapter, looking back at ticket stubs collected over the years brings back memories relating not only to particular gigs but to aspects of personal identity and history too. When live performances are perceived as meaningful, the act of preserving them in some form allows for individuals to revisit the experience in the immediate or distant future.