The purpose of this study was to investigate how somatic (mind-body) instruction facilitated participants' understanding of embodiment and affected their singing performance. Using an integrated case study and action research design, I, as participant-researcher, led movement lessons based on the Feldenkrais Method® that were intended to elicit a greater understanding of embodiment in relation to singing. The participants were high school choral singers and their teacher from a suburban school in the Midwestern United States. Data included participant journals, group and individual interviews, and researcher field notes. Findings suggest that theoretical and practice-oriented perspectives on embodiment provided new possibilities for the choral teacher's practice and the students' learning. From this perspective, choral music teaching is, in essence, the facilitation of embodied singing. The implications and suggestions for future research guide those interested in exploring an embodied perspective in choral music education.With the intent of improving teaching and learning in choral music education, this study investigated how somatic (mind-body) instruction facilitated participants' understanding of embodiment in singing and affected their singing performance. For the purposes of this study, embodiment refers to the unity of all aspects of human function, including mental, physical, and emotional. This perspective acknowledges singing performance as embodied experience and the role of the body in the learning process. The notion of embodiment comes from the growing discussion in the literature, both in music as well as across other academic disciplines, as well as from my

Despite the growth in number and popularity of collegiate a cappella ensembles in the USA over the past 20 years, few researchers have studied these self-governed, student-run, popular music ensembles. This ethnographic case study examined the music making and culture of the Accafellows, an all-male a cappella group at a mid-western American university. An analysis of coded data from individual and group interviews and rehearsal and performance observations revealed five emergent themes: (1) music-making culture; (2) fraternity; (3) alumni involvement; (4) autonomy, leadership and hierarchy; and (5) value of participation. Findings provide a glimpse into the musical lives of the nine members of the group and shed light on the value of their participation in this music ensemble. On the basis of these findings, the author provides recommendations for music educators and suggests future research on informal music practices in formal settings.

Though methods of somatic education such as the Feldenkrais Method are becoming more widely recognized as complementary approaches in vocal and choral pedagogy, there is little research that examines the experiences of singers who participate in such mind–body approaches. With the intent of exploring pedagogical implications of somatic education in music education, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of undergraduate vocal music education majors enrolled in an elective, 7-week Feldenkrais course. Specifically, how do singers describe in their participation in Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lessons, and how do these experiences inform their understanding of how they sing? Data were gathered from questionnaires, weekly journals, and semi-structured interviews. Phenomenological data analysis following Moustakas’s approach revealed three themes reported as textural and structural descriptions: (a) improved quality of movement, (b) heightened awareness of singing, and (c) enhanced practice. The overall essence of participants’ experience may be summarized as a process of self-discovery that provided individualized benefits for singing. Discussion includes pedagogical implications of somatic teaching and learning in PreK through university contexts as well as suggestions for future research.

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