This study revealed the modes of communication employed between the
members of a professional string quartet during rehearsal and performance. Results of
this study enabled comparison with modes of communication employed by a student
jazz sextet revealed in a previous study by the first author. Six modes of communication
were revealed in both studies (i.e., verbal and non-verbal, instruction/cooperation/
collaboration). Results indicated that the modes of communication employed by both
groups of musicians (i.e., the string quartet and the jazz sextet) were the same, although,
at times, the content of the communication differed based on the presence of a precomposed
score and conventions of the musical genre. Participants in both studies
confirmed researcher interpretations of the modes of communication during member
checks. Results also indicated that when playing from a pre-composed score the string
quartet were able to become empathetically attuned and produce ‘spontaneous musical
variations’ during performance. The authors propose that these spontaneous musical
variations are examples of ‘empathetic creativity’.