„Classical musicians’ presentation and reception on YouTube: performance and life practices in the digital age“

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Corinna Herr
• Subject Area: Musicology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 415999881

For professional musicians digital media are indispensable tools of production but at the same time essential means of selfpresentation and promotion. The project looks at the complex relationships concerning classical musicians’ self-presentations in the digital age. The case study consists of of professional classical soloists presenting themselves on YouTube and their reception. The sociological focus is on praxeology and the anthropologically relevant formation of the artistic identity in the digital culture. The performative aesthetics of the resulting music videos is looked at in context of its construction as a 'work' and its emerging features in YouTube’s communications systems. The monographic part of the project is closely linked with a second part in form of a qualitative study where guided interviews with music students, who are by virtue of late birth "digital natives", are conducted and evaluated. In concequence of the analyses new insights regarding the 'concerts of the future' may reasonably be expected. The potential of this musicological research extends to insights into the sociopolitical area of living and working in virtual environments in the emerging field of Digital Anthropology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants