Choral Rehearsal Research Articles

Modern cloud technology in choral vocal training: the use of cloud storage services

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to assess the effectiveness of using cloud storage services as a means to facilitate the rehearsal process in online choral vocal education. Third-year students from three Chinese educational institutions participated in this study. Thus, this research involved a total number of 336 people (320 students and 16 teachers). Accordingly, students were divided into two groups based on the training approach. The first one, Group A, consisted of students who received choral vocal training under the conventional program without the application of online platforms and cloud storage services. The second one, Group B, included students who received education using technology-enabled training methods. They participated in choral rehearsals on Zoom using multimedia materials from Google Drive. According to the results of the final assessment, Group B performed better than Group A; the difference in the average performance score was 5% between the two groups.

Žanrovska raznovrsnost muzičkih primera u savremenim udžbenicima Muzička kultura (I-IV razred) u domenu muzičkog opismenjavanja i razvoja multikulturne pismenosti učenika

Starting from the fact that from the onset of formal education students encounter choral singing as an activity successively linked to general music education, the paper emphasizes the importance of using movement as a pedagogical tool for the development of immanent rhythm, vocal technique, and intonation in working with children's choirs. The main purpose of this research is to systematize the experience gained in the transnational project "Vox Mundi" carried out in Temisoara, Romania in 2022 in order to point to potential choices and future approaches to movement at choral rehearsals at general music education level. In the course of a ten-day intensive youth exchange, five multiplicative events, and the elaboration of three intellectual outcomes, a survey was conducted, with the sample including 50 elementary school choir singers, members of choral organizations of five partner countries (Romania, Serbia, Poland, France and Hungary). By reviewing and unifying the exercises from different choral music activities, we modeled an approach to specific general music education resources with the aim of acquiring the skills and competencies necessary for using movement with polyphonic singing. A significant level of advantages of integrating movement and singing was identified, while the correlation between the delibarate use of movement and an increased engagement was also identified as a factor that was consistently present. In addition, it was discovered that movement and music can illustrate emotional meaning of music and improve relationships among choral singers. This article focuses on practical suggestions which can provide new points for discussion on the necessity of using movement in working with members of children's choirs, children who are in the first or second cycle of elementary education.

Transnacionalni projekat "Vox Mundi" - iskustva u oblasti implementacije pokreta kao pedagoškog alata u procesu rada sa dečjim horskim ansamblima

Starting from the fact that from the onset of formal education students encounter choral singing as an activity successively linked to general music education, the paper emphasizes the importance of using movement as a pedagogocal tool for the development of immanent rhythm, vocal technique, and intonation in working with children's choirs. The main purpose of this research is to systematize the experience gained in the transnational project "Vox Mundi" carried out in Temisoara, Romania in 2022 in order to point to potential choices and future approaches to movement at choral rehearsals at general mucis education level. In the course of a ten-day intensive youth exchange, five multiplicative events, and the elaboration of three intellectual outcomes, a survey was conducted, with the sample including 50 elementary school choir singers, members of choral organizations of five partner countries (Romania, Serbia, Poland, France and Hungary). By reviewing and unifying the exercises from different choral music activites, we modeled an approach to specific general music education resources with the aim of acquiring the skills and competencies necessary for using movement with polyphonic singing. A significant level of advantages of integrating movement and singing was identified, while the correlation between the delibarate use of movement and an increased engagement was also identified as a factor that was consistently present. In addition, it was discovered that movement and music can illustrate emotional meaning of music and improve relationships among choral singers. This article focuses on practical suggestions which can provide new points for discussion on the necessity of using movement in working with members of children's choirs, children who are in the first or second cycle of elementary education.

Two case studies in approach to the renovation of volumetrically challenged music rehearsal spaces

A music rehearsal room renovation can be acoustically challenging in that there is often limited room volume, lack of loudness control, and budget constraints. Two case studies detail these challenges. (1) The University of North Texas’ choral rehearsal room was due for renovation and with a volume of only 44,000 cubic feet, the room had to accommodate choral ensembles varying from 20–85 people for daily use, over 100 voices for an annual festival, and an added recital use. At an appropriate budget, the renovation used room shaping to simultaneously break up parallel surfaces and support voices while also adding adjustable acoustics to allow for tuning of the room for each rehearsal or performance. (2) The University of Texas at San Antonio’s large band, orchestra, and jazz rehearsal room lacked loudness control even with an approximate volume of 73,500 cubic feet to serve 30 – 70 + musicians. At a much more limited budget, the solution was to flip the orientation of the musician layout in the room to take advantage of the existing room geometry and to introduce variable absorption stored exposed to the room which increased the overall absorption while also giving the ensembles an opportunity to tune the room.

Why Do I Do What I Do? and For What and For Whom?: An Autoethnography of a Music Educator-Adult Learner

This autoethnography investigates my role as a music educator -adult learner within the context of choral pedagogy. To answer my questions, I drew from my childhood experiences and discovered that "modelling behavior” is an exemplary pedagogical tool for expedited but efficient choral rehearsal. This led to the development of the Guided Partnered Model (GPM), which has shaped the learners, choir members, and my music appreciation, developing self-esteem, self-worth, and musicianship. The ethnography method was used for data collection, and writing was assembled through hindsight. Furthermore, data analysis was gleaned from narrative inquiry, finding that the expressions of knowledge, skills, and values evidenced through stage performances have resulted in self-affirmation. This provided reflective opportunities to develop this autoethnography. This article could benefit choral conductors and music educators by enjoining them to refocus and reflect on their responsibilities and accountabilities that may enable them to discover innovative pedagogies in their classrooms.

CHORAL PERFORMANCE IN A PANDEMIC: MODERN SOLUTIONS AND PROSPECTS

The article is devoted to the research of new forms of organization of remote work in choirs. With the introduction of quarantine restrictions, the rhythm of life has changed significantly, which has led to the search for new forms and methods of work. Various methods of introduction of the newest technologies in music education of different levels are considered. The experience of using new teaching methods in professional and educational choirs in schools and universities is analyzed. The influence of new forms of choral creativity on Ukrainian culture in general is determined. Eric Whitaker’s experience in organizing the world’s first virtual choir as an international art project has been studied. Professional, amateur and educational choirs in the pandemic were forced to look for new forms of work organization. This was the impetus for the introduction of new forms of work. A characteristic feature of remote choral rehearsal is the shift of emphasis from collective to individual performance. Awareness of oneself as an integral part of the whole characterizes the positive consequences of remote work. Among the negative consequences of remote work, we can identify low efficiency, depression as a result of loneliness, deterioration of the quality of the material. The unification of singers into virtual choirs has become a new wave in the modern cultural process of Ukraine and the world.

The acoustical design of the Imig Music Building addition—An end user’s perspective and an acoustician’s perspective

The design of the Imig Music Building addition at the University of Colorado/Boulder, which started in 2017, culminated in a building opening in Spring 2021. The facility includes a dedicated recital hall, a large ensemble rehearsal room with flexibility to double as a recital hall, a choral rehearsal room, theatre rehearsal room, and dance rehearsal studio along with many music teaching studios, practice rooms, and other acoustically sensitive spaces to support the College of Music’s program. The footprint of the building addition was very limited, resulting in an unusually large number of acoustically critical horizontal and vertical adjacencies. Perspectives on the design process and the successful resulting building will be presented by the end user and the acoustician. One goal of this presentation is to help attendees understand how to translate end user goals into acoustic design criteria and communicate those criteria to the other design team members (architects, engineers, and other specialty consultants such as theatre consultants).

Comparing aerosol concentrations and particle size distributions generated by singing, speaking and breathing

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented shutdown in social and economic activity, with the cultural sector particularly severely affected. Restrictions on musical performances have arisen from a perception that there is a significantly higher risk of aerosol production from singing than speaking, based upon high-profile examples of clusters of COVID-19 following choral rehearsals. However, comparing aerosol generation from different types of vocalization, including singing, across a range of volumes is a rapidly evolving area of research. Here, we measured aerosols from singing, speaking and breathing from a large cohort of 25 professional singers in a range of musical genres in a zero-background environment, allowing unequivocal attribution of aerosol production to specific vocalizations. We do not assess the relative volumes at which people speak and sing. However, both showed steep increases in mass concentration with increase in loudness (spanning a factor of 20–30 across the dynamic range measured, p < 0.001). At the quietest volume (50 to 60 dBA), neither singing (p = 0.19) nor speaking (p = 0.20) were significantly different to breathing. At the loudest volume (90 to 100 dBA), a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed between singing and speaking, but with singing only generating a factor of between 1.5 and 3.4 more aerosol mass. Guidelines for musical performances should be based on the loudness and duration of the vocalization, the number of participants and the environment in which the activity occurs, rather than the type of vocalization. Mitigations such as the use of amplification and increased attention to ventilation should be employed where practicable.Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research

Movement, Gesture, and Singing: A Review of Literature

The purpose of this review of literature was to explore intersections between movement and gesture, and to examine their effects on singing. Music educators have long championed the integration of movement into music instruction. The effects of movement have been studied and correlations found between an individual singer’s intonation, internal pulse, and tone quality. The incorporation of movement activities into choral rehearsals has shown a significant level of perceived benefits by singers. The conducting gesture as a form of aesthetic movement has also been examined. One factor consistently reported is a relationship between the intentional use of movement in rehearsal and increased engagement. Additionally, movement has also been found to share a meaningful link with music and emotion. Movement and music both illustrate abstract emotional concepts and can aid in the formation of concrete relationships between them. Recommendations for music educators and suggestions for future research are provided.

The acoustic design of higher education music rehearsal spaces

This paper will update our paper presented in 2007 in New Orleans which analyzed our firm's acoustic design parameters for instrumental, band and choral rehearsal rooms along with measured results. In the subsequent 12 years, we have designed and opened numerous more facilities to add to the databakse of knowledge. Acoustic design parameters such as ideal room size per ensemble type, room dimensions, room height and volume, size and openess of any reflecting clouds, permanent absorption, adjustable acoustic systems, reverberation time and client specific user preferences will be examined. Project examples will be discussed to illustrate the discussion.

Resolving room volume and structural vibration transfer issues at UW Green Bay’s Studio Arts Building

The primary rehearsal spaces for the orchestral, band, and choral programs in the Music Department at the University of Wisconsin—Green Bay are hosted at the campus’ Studio Arts building, which was constructed in the early 1970’s and had not been significantly updated since then. The goal of the building’s renovation was to improve room acoustic response for both spaces, improve on the insufficient acoustic isolation between the large instrumental and choral rehearsal rooms, and to update HVAC services. Because of the many years of wear and undocumented alterations to the building, exploratory testing of airborne and structure-borne vibration paths was necessary to determine the contributing means of sound transfer between spaces. Acoustically isolated construction ultimately was utilized to increase separation between rooms as well as to introduce acoustic shaping to the choral rehearsal room, to maximize reverberation and avoid the typical acoustic pitfalls of a roughly cubic room volume. A new reflector array was installed in the large instrumental rehearsal room, as well as targeted absorptive and diffusive treatments. New variable acoustic treatments were designed and installed in both rooms, while noise and vibration control for new HVAC equipment realized suitably low background noise levels for both.The primary rehearsal spaces for the orchestral, band, and choral programs in the Music Department at the University of Wisconsin—Green Bay are hosted at the campus’ Studio Arts building, which was constructed in the early 1970’s and had not been significantly updated since then. The goal of the building’s renovation was to improve room acoustic response for both spaces, improve on the insufficient acoustic isolation between the large instrumental and choral rehearsal rooms, and to update HVAC services. Because of the many years of wear and undocumented alterations to the building, exploratory testing of airborne and structure-borne vibration paths was necessary to determine the contributing means of sound transfer between spaces. Acoustically isolated construction ultimately was utilized to increase separation between rooms as well as to introduce acoustic shaping to the choral rehearsal room, to maximize reverberation and avoid the typical acoustic pitfalls of a roughly cubic room volume. A new reflecto...

Mentorship and Learning Experiences of Preservice Teachers as Community Children’s Chorus Conductors

A service-learning model may be used to provide preservice music teachers with authentic context learning experiences and a range of pedagogical benefits, but research evidence specific to choral music contexts is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate two preservice music teachers’ experiences as interns with a community children’s chorus. Through an examination of verbal and written reflections, I sought to understand how interns perceived themselves as music teachers, their ability to implement and recall specific instructional strategies, connections they made between teaching young singers in a community choir context and future field work in public school settings, and mentor influence. Study participants were two junior-level music education majors and two children’s chorus conductors. Data collection methods included questionnaires, interns’ weekly video journals, one semistructured interview with each mentor, and one video-stimulated recall interview with each intern. Both interns assisted in teaching a weekly, 60-minute choral rehearsal for 10 consecutive weeks, and attributed their increased confidence as music teachers to this experience. They also discovered their own deficiencies in error detection and choosing teaching methods on the spot. Mentors had a positive impact on the interns’ overall experience. Implications for music education include the need to engage preservice teachers in all types of authentic context learning experiences, and to further explore the mentor’s role in these experiences.

Chris and Gabe

Chris and Gabe Gerald Gurss (bio) In the summer of 2018 I was commissioned by Dr. Ethan Sperry to write a piece for the Portland State University Choirs for their fall concert, Gender Bender, which explored gender identity. The piece had three main goals. First, the piece was designed to show how love is universal, regardless of one's gender identity or biology at birth. Second, the piece was designed to discuss a positive experience in the lives of trans people, in contrast with the many other, less positive stories that circulate widely. Lastly, Dr. Sperry asked that the piece be accessible in its difficulty level so that the work could have a performance life that extended beyond the premiere—perhaps high schools and other community choruses will be brave enough to explore issues of gender in their own programming. The work is a dialogue between a mother, Chris Lopez (the SSAA voices), and her transgender son, Gabe Lopez (the TTBB voices). [End Page 122] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 123] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 124] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 125] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 126] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 127] Click for larger view View full resolution [End Page 128] Gerald Gurss gerald gurss, native Kansan, received his bachelor's degree in voice at Emporia State University where he studied with Terry Barham. He received his master's degree in voice with a choral cognate from Miami University, where he studied with William Bausano and Ethan Sperry. Aft er leaving Miami, Gerald led a successful music program at the Leavenworth Catholic Schools in Leavenworth, Kansas. Gerald received his DMA in choral conducting from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with Dr. Larry Wyatt and Dr. Alicia Walker. His research focus is the inclusion and pedagogy of transgender singers in the choral rehearsal. In 2015 Gerald collaborated in the founding of Midlands Men's Chorus: The Gay Men's Chorus of Columbia, South Carolina, and served as its artistic director until 2018. Since 2008 Gerald resided in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he served as the artistic director for the One Voice Chorus (Charlotte's LGBT chorus). During his studies at the University of South Carolina, Gerald was a finalist for the American Prize in Choral Composition three times (2015, 2016, and 2017). Gerald currently serves as the artistic director for the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus. Copyright © 2019 Suzanne G. Cusick

Choral conductors to stage! What kind of learning do they claim to promote during choir rehearsal?

Current research on choral practice has studied various aspects of interpretation and different strategies for improving rehearsal. This article considers the amateur choral rehearsal as a setting for teaching and learning music. It analyses choir conductor profiles that may be related to conceptions of teaching and learning and their possible relationship with the implicit theories of teaching and learning. A questionnaire was administered to 41 conductors, considering three variables (expert/non-expert, teacher/non-teacher, and children’s/adult choir conductor). Quantitative evaluation through different cluster analyses showed three conductor profiles: Traditionals, including conductors who use little supervision, few different ways of representation other than corporeal, poor difficulty management and greater use of repetition during the rehearsal; a Focus on Reading profile, conductors who, in addition to using moderately complex processes, rely heavily on reading the score; and finally a Focus on Learning and Representation profile including non-experts and teachers, who use different representation modes in the rehearsal (corporeal, audio, visual, combined) and other complex processes such as transferring learning or metacognition. We also found significant differences among conductors for score processing levels. Finally, some features common to all three profiles characterise the choral environment as a peculiar field of musical learning, which may suggest some strategies for learning music.

The acoustic design of the new University of Iowa Voxman School of Music

The University of Iowa Voxman School of Music opened for students in September 2016. Necessitated by a flood of the Iowa river in 2008 that condemned the original building, this ground up new building in the center of Iowa City features a 700 seat concert hall, a 200 seat recital hall, a 75 seat organ recital hall; band, orchestra, chamber music, and choral rehearsal rooms; an opera studio; recording, percussion, and electronic music suites; teaching studios; practice rooms; library; classrooms and social spaces. Designed on a single city block and stacked 6-1/2 floors high, the design presented many sound isolation challenges. The varied musical pedagogy also required that each performance and rehearsal space have adjustable acoustics. The concert hall, the most public space in the facility houses a brand new 3,883 pipe Klais organ. The TheatroAcoustic ceiling in the hall is a beautiful example of coordination of all design disciplines: acoustics, rigging, lighting, sound, HVAC, fire suppression, recording, and aesthetics. This paper presents the criteria and design of the facility, the innovations, as well as tried and true and the results of acoustic measurements.

Bridging the gap between classical and contemporary vocal technique: implications for the choral rehearsal

Within the traditional choral canon, choral teachers are expected to teach authentic performance practice that incorporates changes in vocal production among varying genres and style periods from Renaissance to Contemporary. Contemporary commercial music (CCM) requires a different vocal approach than the standard Western classical tradition, yet most singing teachers are not being trained in vocal technique associated with CCM in traditional university music departments. Since choral singers are asked to create a variety of vocal qualities and switch between those qualities within a single performance, this article argues that singing teachers should be trained to utilize a multifaceted approach to developing vocal technique, given that recent singing pedagogy literature implies that there is a significant lack of training in the areas of CCM. The scope of this article is to discuss the main tenets of breath, onset, and resonance inherent in both bel canto and contemporary vocal technique by examining both vocal science and traditional vocal pedagogy. By developing a pathway between these styles, teachers enhance their teaching of diverse repertoire without having to learn an entirely new pedagogy. From changes within these three tenets, numerous vocal qualities can be created that are sustainable and healthy for all singers.

Sharing knowledge and power in adult amateur choral communities: The impact of communal learning on the experience of musical participation

Abstract This article is based on the findings of a qualitative investigation of factors influencing confidence levels amongst adult amateur choral singers. The research aims were: to explore the lived experience of choral singers; to examine the main influences on their perceptions of their voices and performance ability; to identify factors affecting their confidence as singers; to extrapolate strategies designed to manage confidence issues amongst amateur choral singers. Three focus groups, involving eighteen singers in total, and sixteen individual interviews were carried out, providing over 40 hours of recorded verbal data. Peer interactions were widely reported as having a positive effect upon perceived performance quality, the enjoyment of the choral experience and confidence levels amongst participants. Trust and rapport, musical and moral support, encouragement and validation, peer modelling and informal mentoring all emerged as important aspects of singer to singer interaction in choral rehearsal and performance.

Teacher Talk and Perceived Teacher Effectiveness: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of teachers, ensemble members, and outside observers when evaluating the effectiveness of rehearsals conducted with reduced amounts of verbal instruction. Preservice teachers led choral rehearsals employing Archibeque’s “rule of seven,” wherein instructions were delivered in seven words or fewer. Immediately following the teaching session, participants responded to the question: “What was your perception of this assignment and what did you notice about teaching effectiveness?” Outside observers responded to the same prompt. Findings indicated that choral members preferred rehearsals with reduced verbal instruction because they were able to perform more, with fewer interruptions. The preservice teachers favored the opportunity to organize their thoughts and focus instruction, but they expressed frustration with feeling stifled in leading rehearsal. The outside observers approved of the rehearsal pacing but were concerned by the lack of specificity in instruction and feedback.

The effects of gesture and movement training on the intonation of children’s singing in vocal warm-up sessions

The main purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of gesture and movement training for beginning children’s choirs with regard to improving intonation. It was a between-subjects design with one independent variable Training Technique (TT). One dependent variable was measured: intonation in the singing of vocal pattern warm-up exercises. Fifty-three fifth grade students (10–11 years old) participated in the empirical investigation. They were randomly assigned into three training groups: (1) Group 1— students who received no gesture and movement training; (2) Group 2— students who received gesture training; and (3) Group 3— students who received gesture and movement training. The instructional unit, consisting of two 40-minute sessions per week for 24 sessions, focused on vocal development. Each individual was pretested and posttested on singing 5 vocal patterns, selected from some 20 learned in the sessions. Three experts were asked to judge the children’s individual singing of these patterns, assessing intonation. Results showed that the children who received gesture and/or movement training sang significantly more in tune than those who did not. It was concluded that gesture training has a positive effect on improving children’s intonation. Furthermore, the combination of gesture and movement training could be a powerful teaching strategy in choral rehearsals.

Influences of Teacher Delivery, Student Engagement, and Observation Focus on Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness

The purpose of this study was to examine how teacher delivery, student engagement, and observation focus influenced preservice teachers’ ratings of teaching effectiveness. Participants ( N = 84 preservice teachers) viewed short teaching excerpts of orchestral and choral rehearsals wherein the teacher displayed either high or low teacher delivery, the students displayed high or low student engagement, and the camera was focused on either the teacher or the students. Participants were asked to rate the overall effectiveness of the lesson on a 7-point Likert-type scale. Results indicated that lessons with high teacher delivery and high student engagement, with a view of the teacher, were rated as most effective, and lessons with low teacher delivery and low student engagement, with a view of the students, were rated as least effective. There were significant main effects for observation focus, teacher delivery, and student engagement, and significant two-way interactions between each of the variables.