Singer Perceptions of Collegiate Mid-Level Choral Experiences

Abstract

In this descriptive study, researchers surveyed choristers ( N = 630) from 16 mid-level collegiate choirs nationwide to investigate their perceptions and behaviors as they related to the strategies used by directors to facilitate ensemble identity. Also investigated were the factors affecting choristers’ dedication to choir and their intentions regarding future enrollment in the choral program. Results indicated that mid-level collegiate choristers hold very diverse opinions regarding the effectiveness of directors’ strategies. While participants indicated that many factors influenced their dedication to choir, those same factors did not directly affect reenrollment. Data indicated that choristers were dedicated when they did not have conflicts; felt committed; had an engaging, dedicated, and encouraging full-time faculty instructor; viewed the repertoire and ensemble as quality; and built friendships. Choristers who wanted to remain in their mid-level ensemble primarily cited the influence of personal and external factors followed by musical factors. Those who wanted to move into a different choir primarily sought the prestige of performing in a top-level choir.

Choral singing and the acquisition of educational values

“…Finally, recent studies, such as that of Major and Dacon (2016), which surveyed 630 choristers out of 16 middle school choirs, also indicated that singers who wanted to remain in their choir were backed by the influence of personal and external factors followed by musical factors (such as the repertoire, the choir’s talent, among others).…”

A Grounded Theory of Adolescent High School Women’s Choir Singers’ Process of Social Identity Development

“…This was especially salient in the Advanced Women’s Choir context. In this setting, there were fewer “stayers” and more “stayer-movers” and “movers” (Major & Dakon, 2016). Though almost all participants expressed that high school women’s choirs could perform as well or better than mixed choirs, similar to Gauthier (2005), they also stated their next goal was to sing in the mixed choir because it was the perceived highest point of the choral hierarchy, and they thought they would enjoy a mixed choir atmosphere.…”

“…Wilson (2012) found high school participants enjoyed the challenges of women's choir contexts, and confirmation from concert audiences bolstered participants' self-worth in the ensemble. Even with audience recognition, however, Wilson reported that women's choirs were perceived as preparation for the select mixed choir ensemble, a finding articulated by other researchers, including Gauthier (2005), O'Toole (1998, and Major and Dakon (2016).…”

“…Music education researchers have investigated social identity within preservice teacher education (Draves, 2014; McClellan, 2014), university undergraduates’ self-esteem and music preference (Shepherd & Sigg, 2015), high school auditioned mixed choirs (Parker, 2014), and collegiate midlevel choral ensembles (Major & Dakon, 2016). With regard to preservice teacher education, McClellan (2014) connected social identity, musician–teacher orientation, and the value of music education to undergraduate music education majors’ self-concept.…”

“…Contextual conditions included the time participants spent in singing groups, both in hours in the school day and years of membership, as well as number of groups in which they participated (Parker, 2014). In midlevel choral ensembles, Major and Dakon (2016) linked musical socialization to social identity as musical events represented an instigator toward a larger sense of community they termed ensemble identity . They identified ensemble members in three categories, including “stayers,” who experienced contentment in their ensemble; “movers,” who aligned more with the prestige of upper ensembles and wished to ascend; and “stayer-movers,” who experienced varying degrees of contentment and mobility (Major & Dakon, 2016).…”