Choir Singers Research Articles

Psychobiological responses to choir singing and creative arts activities in children and adolescents with mental disorders: results of apilot study.

Children and adolescents living with mental health problems often experience stress and poor mood states, which may influence their quality of life and well-being. Arts interventions may improve mood and well-being and reduce physiological stress in this vulnerable population. Acohort of patients in child and adolescent psychiatry (N = 42; age range: 12-18years) participated in one of four arts activities including choir singing (n = 11), textile design (n = 9), drama (n = 16), and clownery (n = 6). They were led by professional artists and delivered through five consecutive 90-min daily afternoon sessions over the course of 1week. Questionnaires of mood and saliva samples before and after each session served to assess short-term psychobiological changes. In addition, patients reported their quality of life and well-being at the beginning and at the end of the 1‑week program. Results showed that alertness was significantly enhanced after textile design (∆post-pre = 4.08, 95% CI [0.77, 7.39]) and after singing (∆post-pre = 2.20, 95% CI [-0.55, 4.94]). Moreover, mood tended to be positively affected by textile design (∆post-pre = 2.89, 95% CI [-0.39, 6.18]). Quality of life increased significantly after singing (∆post-pre = 5.49, 95% CI [1.05, 9.92]). Arts participation except singing was associated with significant reductions in salivary cortisol (sCort) (textile design ∆post-pre = -0.81 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.48, -0.14]; drama ∆post-pre = -0.76 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.28, -0.24]; clownery ∆post-pre = -0.74 ng/mL, 95% CI [-1.47, -0.01]). No significant changes were observed for well-being over the whole program and salivary immunoglobulinA (sIgA) after any of the arts activities. These results suggest that arts participation can improve mood state and reduce stress in young people with mental disorders, but there is aneed for further studies.

Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily: Adaptation and validation to the European Portuguese language

Purpose: To adapt and validate the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) to the European Portuguese language; to compare scores according to singing style, voice use, and demography variables; to conduct psychometric tests. Methods: A five-step approach was adopted to ensure the cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument including forward translation, backward translation, committee opinions, and pilot testing. Results: The pilot test was conducted with ten singers, which determined the reformulation of seven items, thereby, allowing the formulation of the final form. The EASE-PT was completed by 120 singers, age range 18–72 and 58.3% were female. Median results were significantly higher for Choir singers except for one item where the median was significantly higher for Fado singers. High internal consistency was obtained, Cronbach’s alpha > 0.80 for EASE scale for both Fado and Choir singers, and its sub scales were close to or exceeded 0.80. Conclusion: EASE-PT may be considered a reliable tool to apply in the case of Portuguese singers as the outcome supports the ability of EASE-PT to measure the same constructs in a way similar to that of the original version.

Healthy and Efficient Voice Use Awareness in Amateur Group Singers: A Multi-Sensory Self-Assessment Protocol Trial

ABSTRACT Group singing is beneficial for health and well-being but many new clients presenting in the singing teaching studio come from choir backgrounds and with established voice problems. Amateur group singers do not usually receive individual feedback on their singing efforts, so there is a need to establish a self-monitoring procedure. This qualitative inquiry involved purposive sampling of 18 amateur choir singers trialing a self-assessment (SA) protocol for three weeks. A pre-trial and post-trial online questionnaire was completed to assess the impact of the SA protocol on singing behaviors. Three follow up online interviews were conducted to further interrogate the processes experienced by participants. Post-trial results revealed an increased awareness of healthy and unhealthy singing habits evidenced by changes in thinking and mental attitude, and in behavior and practice improvement. Visual and aural self-assessment were easiest for participants to employ with kinesthetic self-assessment being the most difficult. Choir leaders need to continue to educate the singers in their care concerning vocal health and efficiency and encourage self-assessment during singing and speaking acts. Individual singers in an amateur setting must be encouraged to become independent learners, taking responsibility for their vocal health through self-monitoring procedures.

Preaching Through the Choir. What Interprofessional Education Can Learn From Choir Singing.

Collaboration between healthcare professionals from different backgrounds is a true art to be mastered. During interprofessional education (IPE), learners from different professions learn with, from and about each other. Landscape of Practice (LoP) theory can offer insight into social learning in IPE, but its application is rather complex. We argue that choir singing offers a helpful metaphor to understand different concepts in LoP (brokers, engagement, imagination and alignment) and how they are manifested in IPE. Based on similarities between choir singing and IPE, we present four lessons: 1) The teacher sets the tone: a lesson for brokers; 2) You can only learn so much alone: a lesson for engagement; 3) Listening is not as easy as it sounds: a lesson for imagination and 4) A song is more than the sum of its parts: a lesson for alignment. Moreover, we reflect on differences between choir singing and IPE, and insights from these differences.

Choir singing is associated with enhanced structural connectivity across the adult lifespan.

The global ageing of populations calls for effective, ecologically valid methods to support brain health across adult life. Previous evidence suggests that music can promote white matter (WM) microstructure and grey matter (GM) volume while supporting auditory and cognitive functioning and emotional well-being as well as counteracting age-related cognitive decline. Adding a social component to music training, choir singing is a popular leisure activity among older adults, but a systematic account of its potential to support healthy brain structure, especially with regard to ageing, is currently missing. The present study used quantitative anisotropy (QA)-based diffusion MRI connectometry and voxel-based morphometry to explore the relationship of lifetime choir singing experience and brain structure at the whole-brain level. Cross-sectional multiple regression analyses were carried out in a large, balanced sample (N = 95; age range 21-88) of healthy adults with varying levels of choir singing experience across the whole age range and within subgroups defined by age (young, middle-aged, and older adults). Independent of age, choir singing experience was associated with extensive increases in WM QA in commissural, association, and projection tracts across the brain. Corroborating previous work, these overlapped with language and limbic networks. Enhanced corpus callosum microstructure was associated with choir singing experience across all subgroups. In addition, choir singing experience was selectively associated with enhanced QA in the fornix in older participants. No associations between GM volume and choir singing were found. The present study offers the first systematic account of amateur-level choir singing on brain structure. While no evidence for counteracting GM atrophy was found, the present evidence of enhanced structural connectivity coheres well with age-typical structural changes. Corroborating previous behavioural studies, the present results suggest that regular choir singing holds great promise for supporting brain health across the adult life span.

Remini-Sing RCT: Therapeutic Choir Participation for Community-Dwelling People with Dementia and Their Primary Caregivers.

Dementia negatively affects the wellbeing of both caregivers and care recipients. Community-based therapeutic choir singing offers opportunities for music participation and social engagement that are accessible and mutually enjoyable for people with dementia and their family caregivers and promotes shared and meaningful musical interactions, which may support relationship quality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Remini-Sing therapeutic choir intervention on relationship quality, quality of life, depression, and social connectedness for dyads, as well as caregiver burden and care recipient anxiety. A randomized-controlled trial design was used with a target sample of 180 dyads. Due to recruitment difficulties, 34 participant dyads were recruited and randomly assigned to a 20-week group singing condition (n = 16) or a waitlisted control group (n = 18). Participant dyads consisted of people with dementia and their family caregivers who resided at home in the community. The Remini-Sing therapeutic choirs were held in community settings. Assessments were conducted by masked assessors at baseline, 11 weeks, and 21 weeks. Twenty-one dyads completed assessments at the primary timepoint (Week 11). Issues with recruitment and retention resulted in an unpowered study with no statistically significant findings. Mean decreases in anxiety and depression for choir participants with dementia were supported by medium to large effect sizes, indicating a potential intervention effect to be explored in future powered studies. Key learnings related to study design are discussed regarding recruitment, retention, participant burden, and sustainability, with recommendations made for future dementia research.

How we (used to) remember the Partisans. Culture of memory and art form during and after Yugoslavia

ABSTRACT This paper contends that, under certain socio-political circumstances and in given historical periods, some art forms become particularly powerful means of expressing collective ideas about a shared past. Might artistic forms themselves tell us something about the social function of collective memory, as well as about the society that “addresses” its past through them? In an attempt to answer this question, the paper will look at the distinctive artistic expressions for remembering the Yugoslav anti-fascist Partisan movement and World War II at three moments in time, during which the memory of World War II was respectively (1) institutionalized as a narrative of the Partisan struggle and victory (through monumental memorials), (2) then called into question and remolded into “dissident” literary narratives, to eventually become (3) a form of activist socio-cultural critique of both nationalist memorialization in post-Yugoslav states and contemporary capitalist realities (through choir singing).

Flourishing through Prayer by Singing in a Liturgical Choir

Prayer in human life enables directing attention to God and a transcendent goal beyond Earthly life. Singing has been present in the life of Israel since the oldest times, which is proved on the pages of the Holy Scriptures, in the Books of Exodus and Psalms. In the New Testament, there is a lot of encouragement to sing the glory of God in psalms and songs, as well as praising God Most High in Revelation. The Catholic Church is concerned with the quality of liturgical music through a number of recommendations and requirements defining the pieces that may become a part of the liturgy. Liturgical choir singing is a special form of common prayer. The aim of the present paper is to examine the effect of prayer by choral singing on human flourishing. The aim was achieved by analyzing recommendations of the Church on liturgical music, presenting the assumptions of the theoretical model investigating the effect of art on human flourishing, and then conducting empirical studies. Sixteen in-depth interviews were carried out with members of fourteen choirs. There were four groups of respondents according to their gender and family status. All obtained codes were organized into five main themes with four subcategories. They confirmed the assumptions of the model presented in the theoretical part and made it possible to identify the effect of choral singing on the performers’ health and the improvement of their skills. In addition, they showed a direct relation between prayer and spiritual well-being when singing in a choir, a coherence of activities with values as well as the striving for happiness.

(275) More Than a Nick: Male Surgical Castration Throughout History

Abstract Introduction Surgical castration has been present throughout human history, dating back at least earlier than 1000 BC. Eunuchs, or men who have been castrated, served as royal guards, government officials and choir singers among other professions. Objective We sought to review the early surgical castration techniques of historical Eurasia. Methods Literature review for male surgical castration techniques was performed using Pubmed and Google Scholar. Results The Ottoman Empire first started enlisted eunuchs as palace servants in Constantinople as early as 500 AD. By the 16th century, the Ottomans had institutionalized eunuchs as the harem guards. Castration was routinely performed by priests. After restraining the child in a chair, a cord was tied around both the penis and scrotum, and the genitals were excised en bloc with a razor. Hemostasis was achieved with boiling oil and wax or hot sand followed by acacia bark extract. Mortality was as high as one in three patients. Following castration, a nail was placed in the urethra to prevent urethral stricture formation. Within China castration has occurred throughout history, however the procedure was described in greatest detail during the 19th century Qing dynasty. The patient was physically restrained, and the genitalia anesthetized with a “secret agent,” known only to the surgeon, colloquially called “knifers.” The surgeon would firmly grasp both the penis and scrotum with one hand, hovering a curved knife in opposite hand. The surgeon would then ask for consent to proceed. The genitalia were removed with one cut. The wound was washed thrice with boiled pepper solution and covered with moistened paper. A pewter urethral plug was placed to prevent stricture formation. The patient was disallowed hydration and his urethra remained obstructed for three days post-operatively. On the fourth day the plug was removed, and the patient was allowed to void. Mortality was dubiously estimated at 2%. The Skoptsky were a Christian religious sect of Eunuchs within 18th century Russia. As the practice was rooted in religion the majority of Skoptsky men volunteered for castration. Men were encouraged to accept the “greater seal,” i.e. removal of penis, scrotum and testicles, rather than the “lesser seal,” i.e. sparing the penis. The genitalia were variously removed with a combination of hot iron rods, glass, razors, and knives. Again, a nail was placed in the urethra to prevent stricture. In 16th to 18th century Italy the famed Castrati Singers underwent prepubertal castration to preventing lengthening of the thyroid cartilage. The singers were highly desired in choirs and operas for their high pitch. Castration typically occurred between ages 6 and 9. Patients were placed in a hot bath and provided a “potent drink,” often containing opium. The carotid arteries were compressed until the patient became lethargic, and the spermatic cords were then severed. Conclusions Surgical castration was performed for a variety of reasons throughout human history. The techniques, anesthesia, and tools used to perform castration reflected resources and education available to the surgeon at time of castration. Disclosure No.

Vocal Self-Perception of Singers During COVID-19 Pandemic.

to compare the self-perception of vocal fatigue and use of singing voice during the COVID-19 pandemic between professional and amateur singers and to relate this self-perception with vocal use characteristics during this period. Participants were 121 singers divided into professional singers group (PSG) (12 men and 20 women) comprising singers who depended exclusively on singing as a profession and an amateur singers group (ASG) (37 men and 52 women) of singers who did not depend exclusively on singing for their livelihood. All answered online questionnaires through Google Forms ®. Sociodemographic and vocal characteristics were investigated before and during the pandemic; symptoms of vocal fatigue were assessed through the vocal fatigue index (VFI); and self-perception of use of singing voice through the evaluation of the ability to sing easily protocol for Brazil (EASE-Br). In the comparison between groups, the PSG presented higher scores of vocal fatigue in fatigue and vocal limitation (P=0.045), vocal restriction (P=0.002), and recovery with vocal rest (P=0.008) domains than did the ASG. There was no difference between the groups regarding the use of singing voice. Based on the relationship between self-perception and vocal use characteristics during the pandemic, it was observed that the presence of vocal complaint was the only factor associated with self-perception of fatigue symptomatology in both groups. Regarding the self-perception of the current status of the singing voice, singing time, the presence of vocal complaints, the need to increase visual concentration, and the perception of vocal worsening during the pandemic were considered predictive for amateur singers. For professional singers, vocal complaints and vocal training were predictors for self-perception of the current status of the singing voice. Professional singers presented with higher scores of vocal fatigue than did amateur singers. The symptomatology of vocal fatigue was associated with the presence of vocal complaints in both groups. However, self-perception of the current status of the singing voice was different between the groups and was associated with vocal training for professional singers and characteristics of vocal demand of singing voice during the pandemic period for amateur singers.

Vocal risk mapping in classical singers: an analysis of the self-perception of voice quality, vocal fatigue, and singing voice handicap.

To map the vocal risk in professional classical singers, analyzing their self-assessment of voice and self-perception of singing voice handicap and vocal fatigue. The study sample comprised of 52 professional classical choir singers, aged 31 to 72 years. They answered an online questionnaire in Google Forms, addressing their characterization, self-assessment of voice, the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Classical Singing Handicap Index (CSHI), and Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI). The mean self-assessment of voice was between "Good" and "Very good" (1.2). The mean total VHI-10 score was 1.35, which is below the cutoff. The mean total CSHI score was 10.04. The mean total VFI score was 10.83, near the cutoff value. Classical singers who use their voice to give examples to students in their classes had higher scores in VHI-10 (p = 0.013), VFI voice restriction (p = 0.011), and VFI total score (p = 0.015). Besides, classical singers who already visited a Speech-Language Pathologist for voice problems had higher scores in VFI voice restriction (p = 0.040) and VFI recovery with voice rest (p = 0.019), in addition to correlations between instrument scores. Professional classical singers did not have voice handicaps. However, their self-perception of vocal fatigue was more present when the singing voice was used, such as giving examples with their own voice in class. Having had voice problems and visited a Speech-Language Pathologist in the past led to a greater perception of vocal recovery with rest.

Personality traits in musicians with different types of music performance anxiety.

This study investigated the relationship between personality traits and MPA in the course of a specific performance. For this purpose, symptoms of MPA, functional coping with MPA and performance-related self-efficacy of a sample of 393 musicians including 23% professional, 49% non-professional orchestra musicians and 28% singers in amateur choirs were categorized and then used to analyze differences in the personality traits. The questionnaires used were the NEO-FFI and the PQM. The results showed that professional orchestra musicians had significantly higher openness and conscientiousness than non-professional orchestra musicians and amateur choir singers. Musicians who had few symptoms of MPA, positive coping with MPA and high self-efficacy across a specific performance (Type 1) have low neuroticism in their personality traits. Regarding MPA, the personality traits were correlated with all MPA scales after the performance but less with MPA scales before and during the performance. Results could indicate that personality traits play a particularly important role in the processing of performance experiences after the performance and suggest focusing on the situation after the performance in particular with professional orchestra musicians.

THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY FATHERS IN ESTABLISHING THE SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS OF ORTHODOX SINGING

In the modern world, there is a problem of the young generation’s loss of spiritual landmarks, which is manifested in the dominance of pragmatism, focus on obtaining material goods, indifference to the feelings of other people, including loved ones. Education of moral qualities of an individual cannot be effective if all social institutions are not involved in it: family, school, cultural institutions, church. Nowadays, the importance of religious education is gaining a high status in the domestic society - children and teenagers get used to attending church, study in Sunday schools, where they participate in choir singing. Musical spiritual works today are not limited to church life, but are included in the repertoires of singing groups of general secondary and primary music education institutions, are offered for listening to music at school, etc. (Rostovskyi, 2003). (Rostovskyi, 2003). The urgent task of preserving the traditions of Orthodoxy in its competition with the Catholic and Uniate influences on the Ukrainian community determines the special interest of teachers and scientists in the educational possibilities of Orthodox music (Afonina, 2012).

Kusinerna Wilhelm och Elsa Stenhammars betydelse för bildandet av Göteborgs orkesterskola och Göteborgs orkesterförenings skola för körsång

When the Gothenburg Orchestra School and the Gothenburg Orchestra Association’s school for choir singing were formed at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra during the 1916/17 season, Wilhelm Stenhammar had been the orchestra’s chief conductor for nine years. Despite his great importance for the orchestra, there is nothing to show that the formation of the two new schools was on his initiative. Regarding the orchestra school, there were several factors that contributed to its formation, among them the obligation to fulfil the conditions of a will that had been crucial to the creation of the orchestra, and also the need to ensure the recruitment of musicians to the orchestra and to counteract the preponderance of foreign musicians. In the first years of its existence, the symphony orchestra cooperated with some high bourgeoisie choirs dating back to the 19th century, despite their mediocre artistic quality. When the last of these choirs was discontinued in 1916, Elsa Stenhammar, a cousin of Wilhelm’s who had formed a number of high-quality choirs with members from the middle and working classes, offered to transfer her choirs to the orchestra’s organization, which could then start a choir school and, only a year later, its own choir, the Concert Hall Choir. Keywords: Wilhelm Stenhammar, Elsa Stenhammar, Gothenburg, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Orchestra Association, orchestra school, choir school, concert hall choir, musicology, music history.

Psychosocial and physiological effects of choir singing in people with dementia: A pilot study

AbstractBackgroundResearch suggests that music‐based interventions can improve emotional well‐being and quality of life in people with dementia. However, investigations are generally confined to specific music therapy settings. Complex music‐based interventions from day‐to‐day life, such as choir singing, have rarely been studied, not least because of the methodological challenges. Here we report on a pilot study examining the benefits of singing in persons with dementia that had joined a choir created especially for them.MethodIn preparation for a larger study on the impact of regular choir singing in dementia, we conducted a feasibility study to assess the expected effects on psychosocial and physiological outcomes. Emotional well‐being, depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, physiological stress markers and quality of life were measured in the 19 choir members, all of whom had mild to moderate dementia (age: M = 76.95 [SD = 8.18]; f = 10 (52.6%); MMSE: M = 16.42 [SD = 5.79]) and were accompanied by their caregiving relatives. The weekly choir rehearsals took place over two months. Sessions were evaluated individually (situational measurements) and overall (pre/post‐tests).ResultOur data suggested significant increases in emotional well‐being during the choir sessions (p < .05; Cohen’s dRM between 0.5 and 0.9), as well as significant reductions in cortisol levels in saliva as an indicator of stress (p < .05; dRM between ‐0.2 and ‐0.76). A pre‐post evaluation (paired sample t‐tests) showed noticeable, but not significant improvements in neuropsychiatric symptoms, depression, and quality of life. Caregivers’ observations confirmed the positive influence of choir singing on participants’ emotional and communication behavior.ConclusionThe results of the pilot study reveal the therapeutic potential of choir‐based music interventions in persons with dementia and show that these effects can be demonstrated under real‐world conditions. A large‐scale randomized controlled study should further investigate the effects of choir singing in dementia.

Memorizing song lyrics: Comparing the effectiveness of three learning formats

A central part of singing includes learning new pieces of vocal music. Learning a new song is a complex task that involves several functions and modalities, such as memory functions, language and motor skills, and auditory and visual perception. Memory functions are a well-studied area, but it is unknown how memory theories apply to a multimodal activity such as singing. In this study, an attempt is made to translate the theories to the applied field of singing. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of three types of learning formats for learning new song lyrics: auditory learning with image support (AI), auditory learning with text support (AT), and auditory learning only (A). Ninety-five participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions. A univariate analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of condition on the lyric recall score and post-hoc tests showed that participants performed significantly better in the AI condition in comparison to both the AT and the A condition. No significant difference was found between AT and A. This study sheds light on how memory processes might work in learning song lyrics. Practical implications for practitioners such as music educators, conductors, and choir singers are discussed.

Effects of choir singing on physiological stress in Japanese older adults: its relationship with cognitive functioning and subjective well-being

ABSTRACT Background Leisure activities are believed to contribute to healthy ageing. We compared the effects of choir singing and go playing on cortisol levels in Japanese older adults. We also examined its relevance to the older adults’ emotional affect and cognitive performance. Methods Thirty-six older adults participated either in choir or go playing, within a 2 (groups)×2 (time points) design. Dependent measures included levels of salivary cortisol, as well as key psychological, cognitive, and neuropsychological measures. Results A significant two-way interaction was observed, showing that levels of salivary cortisol decreased for the choir but increased for the go groups. The decrease in salivary cortisol for the choir group correlated with the participant’s negative affect and their degree of cognitive impairment. Conclusion Choir singing has the potential to reduce Japanese older adults’ physiological stress. The decreases can be seen more prominently for people with stronger negative affect and cognitive impairment. Further research is required to replicate these effects.

Ethnic music integration on students’ attention deficit in music education

BackgroundAttention deficit in students has a negative impact on their learning and development. The integration of ethnic music and music education provides a diversified and comprehensive music education model, which may have a positive impact on students’ attention deficit.Subjects and MethodsThe study selected students from a school as the research subjects and divided them into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received integrated music education for ethnic music, including learning traditional and ethnic music, participating in instrument performance and choir singing, etc; The control group continued to receive traditional music education. To clarify the grouping, we use a random sampling method to randomly assign students to two groups. The study collected data on students’ attention ratings and academic performance as research indicators and used SPSS 23.0 statistical software for data processing and analysis.ResultsIn the experimental results, the attention score of the experimental group students significantly improved. The attention score of the experimental group students increased from an initial 6.7 to 8.9, while the attention score of the control group students increased from an initial 7.2 to 7.6. In addition, the academic performance of the experimental group students also showed a significant improvement trend, with math scores increasing from the initial 70 to 80 and Chinese language scores increasing from the initial 75 to 85.ConclusionsResearch can effectively improve students’ attention level and concentration ability through diversified and comprehensive music education models.

Voice matching in sung duos: Is it related to spectrum envelopes?

Choir singers report anecdotally that two voices can be perceived as a good match for each other, or not. Could “matching voices” be explained by the spectrum envelopes? Thirteen singers sang a duo in unison or canon with an adjacent prerecorded reference singer, in a moderately reverberant room. Singers controlled the stimulus timbre, using variable filters in medium and high frequency bands. They were asked to adjust the filters, while singing, for “best” and “worst” perceived matching. The singers then performed the song again, but with the filters automatically set to their chosen (dis-)preferences. The Self-to-Other ratio as a function of frequency [SOR(f)] at the ipsilateral ear of the participant was estimated from multiple microphone signals to predict separately the long-time average spectra of Self and Other. Most participants rated the sound with extreme filter settings at ±15 dB as the “worst” match, while “best” matches were fairly evenly distributed. Some but not all participants preferred the spectra to be complementary. However, at low frequencies, SOR(f) was about +10 dB, and very irregular but rarely negative at medium and high frequencies; so how an adjacent singer can be heard at all will require further investigation.

Personality traits in singers performing various music styles and with different singing status.

Objective was to find personality traits in singers performing various music styles and with different singing status. The study consisted of 87 singers (66 females, 21 males; age: M±SD 25.5±8.2 years; 40 students, 22 professionals and 25 amateurs; 38 classical singers, 42 contemporary commercial music [CCM] singers; 55 solo singers and 22 choral singers). Participants filled in the NEO Five-Factor Inventory questionnaire and demographic information form. Median values compared to the Polish general population, suggest that solo, CCM, student and professional singers have a high level of conscientiousness. Those who sing in a choir, classical music, amateurs and students have relatively high level of agreeableness. High level of extraversion is observed among CCM singers and students. Students score higher on extraversion then professionals (p < 0.001). Professionals score higher on extraversion then amateurs (p < 0.01). Professionals less frequently than amateurs and students score high on agreeableness (p < 0.001). High scores on conscientiousness are significantly higher among professionals and students compared to amateurs (p < 0.001 in both cases). Solo singers have higher level of conscientiousness (p < 0.001) and openness (p < 0.001) and lower neuroticism (p < 0.01) than choral singers. Classical singers more often than CCM singers score low on openness (p < 0.01) and high on agreeableness (p < 0.01). Classical singers have lower level of openness and higher level of agreeableness than CCM singers. Neuroticism is higher among choir than solo singers and conscientiousness is higher among solo than choir singers. Amateurs had the highest level of neuroticism and the lowest level of conscientiousness as compared with professional singers and students. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(4):541-50.