  A musical performance renders an acoustic realization of a musical score or
other representation of a composition. Different performances of the same
composition may vary in terms of performance parameters such as timing or
dynamics, and these variations may have a major impact on how a listener
perceives the music. The analysis of music performance has traditionally been a
peripheral topic for the MIR research community, where often a single audio
recording is used as representative of a musical work. This paper surveys the
field of Music Performance Analysis (MPA) from several perspectives including
the measurement of performance parameters, the relation of those parameters to
the actions and intentions of a performer or perceptual effects on a listener,
and finally the assessment of musical performance. This paper also discusses
MPA as it relates to MIR, pointing out opportunities for collaboration and
future research in both areas.
