Abstract
This article explores the potential of telematic technologies in contemporary chamber music performances. Despite expanding listening venues and options, regular concert attendance for contemporary chamber music has declined. Telematic chamber music performances are a viable alternative but remain relatively under-researched. This study addresses this gap by reviewing performances in Korea. It proposes integrating telematics technology with chamber music concerts to challenge traditional genre boundaries and create new avenues for audience engagement. This approach bridges physical distances, enhances the accessibility and appeal of chamber music performances, increases their relevance and attractiveness, and redefines audience experience in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.
Despite the proliferation of listening venues and modalities, the audience for music performances is continuously declining worldwide. According to Emerson [1], concert attendance rates among younger generations have declined by up to 30%. In today’s era, when stimulating visuals and short performances dominate social media, music concerts should meet the expectations of younger generations [2] while preserving their essence [3].
Contemporary music performances must explore more effective formats to adapt to changing times and expand audiences. They must respond to the challenges of the current environment and traditional genre boundaries and establish themselves as a recognized and appreciated art form.
One practical approach could be applying telematics technology to traditional music genres. This technology allows geographically dispersed performers and audiences to interact in real time through telecommunications and computer systems, offering a way to capture the attention of modern audiences.
Discussions surrounding telematic music performances have predominantly focused on defining and conceptualizing the performances [4,5]. General technical discussions have also been conducted, including providing software solutions to address the issue of latency in telematic music performances [6,7]. Recently, several telematic performances related to telematic chamber music have been introduced and discussed [8].
This study addresses the question: “How have telematic chamber music performances been conducted over the years, and what potential do these performances hold for the future?” The objective is to propose specific strategies for expanding the positive impact of telematic chamber music performances while fostering a deeper understanding of their current state and exploring their future potential.
This study contributes to the relevant literature by broadening our understanding of how telematic chamber music performances could enhance global cultural exchange and artistic integration. It also investigates telematic chamber music’s potential to evolve into a global cultural phenomenon and highlights its promise as a widely recognized and impactful contemporary art form.
The article is structured as follows. Section 1 explores telematics’ origin and the transformation of artistic collaboration in the 1980s. Section 2 discusses the technical developments in telematic music performance. Section 3 presents a case study of telematic technology in chamber music performances. The final section discusses the findings and proposes strategies for the future development of telematic chamber music performances and their implications for global cultural exchange.
