Notice the little girl in the yellow outfit. Look at her body language in the first picture. She has decided she is NOT going to be participating. This was during a song where everybody makes animal noises. (technically, pet sounds, with references to Elvis and the Beach Boys) By the second picture, she has soften a little. This song is a dance contest between the grown-ups and the kids. The adult leaders at the camp were GREAT and made it fun for everybody. (note: They were great leaders, not necessarily great dancers.) By the third picture she is in full motion. Yes, the accordion is out and they are dancing to the Beer Barrel Polka. What can I say, it's effective in multi-generational settings.
I point this out to support my idea that audience response is significant. There are some artists who are so into their music (and themselves) that they probably wouldn't notice if the audience left while they were playing. And some audiences enjoy being musical voyeurs; watching, but not participating in intimate exchanges between an artist and his music. But for me, I'm looking for some response to let me know the music is getting through. I'm trying to win over the holdouts who have walls of resistance to whatever effect I am trying to produce with the performance.
If you are going to music to benefit others, you have to participate in a circle of response. You put your music out there and notice the audience response. Then YOU respond to the feedback you are getting from your audience. This puts the music in the context of social interaction and makes it more than just entertainment. I believe this gives live music a greater therapeutic advantage than prerecorded music.
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