Choir Research Articles

Personality Traits of Choral Singers and Their Association with Perceived Mental Well-Being.

Previous research indicates that choir singing enhances mental well-being. This study explores whether these well-being benefits are related to the personality traits of singers. We assessed the personality traits of 760 German amateur choral singers (205 men, 555 women, mean age 47.1 ± 14.0 years) using a 30-item version of the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory and compared them with a representative population sample. General mental well-being was measured with the WHO-5 well-being index, and perceived mental health benefits from singing were evaluated using the Bochum Change Questionnaire (BCQ-2000). Regression analyses examined the relationship between personality traits, BCQ-2000, and WHO-5 well-being scores. Choral singers scored significantly higher than the general population on extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeableness. The WHO-5 scores of choir singers were significantly positively correlated with extraversion and conscientiousness, and negatively with neuroticism. BCQ-2000 scores were significantly positively associated with extraversion, openness, and agreeableness. In this exploratory study, we examined the association between personality traits and singing-related mental well-being without accounting for other potential sociodemographic confounders of mental health, such as socioeconomic status. The study suggests that the self-reported mental well-being benefits of singing are influenced by individual personality traits.

The perception of voice handicap in singers: its relationship with perfectionism and perceived stress

Introduction Research indicates that psychological factors such as stress and perfectionism play a crucial role in voice problems, either triggering them or intensifying the perception of difficulty. This study examines the relationship between voice handicap, perceived stress, and perfectionism in singers, exploring the impact of factors such as vocal role (soloists, choral singers, and students), music genre, years of professional experience, and the correlation between performance competency perception, perceived stress, and perfectionism. Method 155 singers (choral singers, soloists, and students) were assessed using the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10), along with an ad hoc questionnaire exploring their perception of performance in the work context. Results Correlations were found between SVHI-10, PSS-10, and MPS, although the behavior varied depending on vocal role (p < .01) and years of professional experience (p < .01), except for perceived stress (p = .07). Among the MPS subscales, “Fear of mistakes” and “Expectations of success” showed stronger correlations with SVHI-10 (p < .01) compared to the other subscales. Singers who experienced their performance more negatively than positively in the work context had higher scores on all three scales. Conclusions This study explored the complex relationship between voice handicap, perceived stress, and perfectionism in singers, revealing role-based differences. Students displayed the highest scores across all scales, in contrast with experienced singers who had lower scores. These findings emphasize the need to address psychological factors in vocal training and support programs.

Vocal and Choral Performance as an Aspect of Neuro-Education

&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;This article is an attempt to understand the human body's reaction to the perception of vocal-choral works. The power of music during vocal and choral performance is that it bypasses the mind and penetrates directly into the soul, brain, and subconscious mind, affecting the human mood. Depending on the content, music can evoke a wide variety of feelings, urges, and desires in a person. It can relax, soothe, revitalise, irritate, etc. There are also such influences that bypass consciousness, settle in the deep structures of our brain, and make up a significant part of our meanings and motives. Undoubtedly, the role of singing and choral singing in the construction of the human “Ego” and its behaviour cannot be overestimated: Our inner world is influenced by many factors, both external and internal. It cannot be denied that they participate in the development of consciousness. Sounds with different frequencies affect a person differently, which is directly related to the rhythms of the brain. The brain receives auditory information through the organs of hearing and analyses it, comparing it with its own rhythms. Each person has their own rhythm with frequency. This is why we have such different musical tastes. Scientific research confirms that vocal and choral singing improves neuroplasticity and promotes attention, memory, and coordination. Singing together also stimulates the production of dopamine and oxytocin, which increases motivation and social interaction. It is important for the development of emotional intelligence and stress tolerance. The article proves the artistic role of vocal-choral singing; it is determined that vocal-choral performance is a powerful tool of neuro-education; the ways of development of vocal-choral performance in neuro-education are investigated; the methods and techniques of development of vocal-choral performance in neuro-education are highlighted.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

How a Virtual Choir Enhances Social Capital

This paper examines the link between social capital and a virtual choir. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, with an intensified perception of alienation, community, church, and university choirs used the format of a virtual choir to continue the singing and performance practice of choral music. Created by a user-generated choir with uploaded videos and audio, a virtual choir is the final synchronized mix of these various files producing a unified performance. The challenge is to maintain and grow the virtual experience. A living sense of community and connection with others is a characteristic of the choral music process. Obstacles to overcome in the preparation and execution of a virtual choir participation include familiarity and facility with current technologies, the alienation of individually learning, preparing, and performing the singer’s part and the lack of the traditional choral experience of interacting with individuals on a personal and sonic level. Using testimonials of singers involved in a virtual choir experience and current research regarding varied examples of developed choral practices, a clear demonstration of social capital is evident. Social capital is the value created by social relationships with likely returns in the form of good will, sympathy, and social networks.

Revision as the Norm in Percy Grainger’s Works

Percy Grainger was, in his day, probably better known as a pianist than a composer, yet he claimed none of his works was conceived for piano, excepting his biggest hit, Country Gardens (1918). His large output contains self-arrangements, many involving pianos, but also original compositions or folk-music arrangements for myriad instrumental and vocal ensembles. Grainger’s constant work revision raises many difficulties for any chronological listing of his works. Concepts of work integrity, primary form, or originating version often become blurred. In his youth, Grainger established a compositional template of ‘endless mutability,’ to which he often returned in later life. This habitual revisionism is exemplified in his thirty-six Kipling settings (1898–1958), an evolving compositional project that spanned his lifetime. One setting, his Mowgli’s Song against People, is representative of the welter of issues concerning creation, arrangement, revision, and publication of these settings. Four questions arise: what did a work, or opus, mean for Grainger?; was publication a significant act for him?; is a chronological catalogue of Grainger’s works either possible, or desirable?; and what might the answers to these three questions suggest about the likelihood of a complete critical edition of his works?

Link to the Library of Congress: American Choral Music: A Digital Collection at the Library of Congress

Link to the Library of Congress: American Choral Music: A Digital Collection at the Library of Congress

42 THE INFLUENCE OF CHORAL ACTIVITIES ON LANGUAGE FUNCTION AND COMMUNICATION ABILITY OF YOUNG PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION

Abstract Background Depression is a psychological disorder characterized by depressed mood and diminished interest, accompanied by significant cognitive impairment, including decreased verbal expression and social communication skills. Language dysfunction is characterized by delayed speech, poor vocabulary and difficulty in verbal expression, while impaired communication skills exacerbate the patient’s sense of social isolation. In recent years, choral singing, as a group musical activity, has been widely recognized as having psychological rehabilitation and social promotion effects. Through musical expression, patients can benefit from emotional catharsis and language training; while through team interaction, patients can enhance social skills and self-efficacy. The study aimed to assess the effects of choral activities on language function and communication ability of young depressed patients, and to provide innovative rehabilitation interventions for patients. Methods The study included 100 depressed patients aged 18-35 years, all of whom met the diagnostic criteria for depression in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). The patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 50 in each group. The experimental group received conventional psychotherapy and participated in a 10-week choral intervention, which took place three times a week for 90 minutes each time, and included vocal training, choral technique practice and group music creation. The control group received only conventional psychotherapy. Before and after the intervention, the patients were assessed for changes in verbal expression and social communication skills using the Language Function Assessment Scale and the Communication Skills Assessment Scale, respectively. Data were analyzed by paired t-tests and between-group comparisons, with P&amp;lt;0.05 as the level of significance. Results The results of the experiment showed that the language function and communication ability of the patients in the experimental group improved significantly and the effect was better than that of the control group (P&amp;lt;0.01). The language function score of the experimental group improved from 45.2±6.1 before the intervention to 60.3±5.9 after the intervention, while the language function score of the control group only improved from 46.1±5.6 to 47.8±5.5. The communication skills score improved from 42.1±5.4 to 58.4±4.7 in the experimental group and from 41.9±5.2 to 43.6±5.1 in the control group. The difference in improvement between the two groups was statistically significant (P&amp;lt;0.01). Discussion The results of the study confirmed the positive effects of choral activities in improving the language function and communication ability of young depressed patients. Through choral activities, patients were able to exercise their language skills in musical expression and overcome language expression difficulties; team interaction provided patients with more communication opportunities and enhanced their social skills and self-confidence. The successful application of this intervention method provides new ideas for the comprehensive rehabilitation of depression.

Genre-Style Principles of Repertory Formation of Amateur Female Vocal Ensembles in the Creativity of Transcarpathian Composers

The purpose of the article is to analyse the creativity of Transcarpathian composers through the prism of the female vocal ensemble genre and the representation of the activities of the amateur collectives in the region. The research methodology consists in the application of a complex approach, which involves an empirical method – highlighting the issue of the work of Transcarpathian composers for female vocal ensembles, a method of analysis and synthesis, which made it possible to reveal the genre and style principles based on published repertoire collections of composers. The scientific novelty is the introduction to the scientific circulation of the compositional work of Transcarpathian artists, specifically for female vocal ensembles, opportunities for their development and performing activities, the levels of interaction of the compositional work with folklore and modern performance trends are revealed. Conclusions. Amateur women's vocal ensembles, having a high-performance culture, a genre-stylistic diversity of the repertoire, demonstrate the best examples of Transcarpathian composers, in whose creative output the song occupies a special place. The figures of composers whose work reflects the deep continuity of national traditions and local flavour were deliberately taken for analysis. The song works of D. Zador, M. Popenko, V. Popovych, and F. Turianyn were included in the golden fund of the song art of Transcarpathian region. The spiritual, patriotic, lyrical, humorous songs of the proposed composers continue the song-creative traditions of the region, genre-stylistic features of vocal-ensemble music. In author's songs, composers use the literary text that enriches the musical fabric of the song, in the processing of folk songs, composers vividly reflect the folk local flavour, using harmonic techniques that help to reveal the artistic content in a deeper way.

Exploring the Effects of Vocal Training Programs on the Skills and Development of Chorus Performers.

Exploring the Effects of Vocal Training Programs on the Skills and Development of Chorus Performers.

“New Vocal Complexity”: Textured and Timbre Organization of Choral Compositions by B. Ferneyhough

The researcher’s focus is on the choral work of the British composer Brian Ferneyhough (b. 1943). Despite the fact that the composer’s choral heritage is relatively small, each of the composer’s works is a unique example of the modern choral style, which is a genuine encyclopedia of the main techniques of vocal performance of the 20th century and poses extremely difficult problems for the performer. Ferneyhough’s first choral composition — “Missa brevis“ — combines Schoenberg’s timbre experiments with the temporary and timbre-textured ideas of the post-war avant-garde, including Stockhausen’s techniques of space composition, Nono’s diagonal texture and operation varieties of Boulez’s vocal emission. Ferneyhough’s individual techniques are genuinely innovative. One of them is the polychronic combination of sonorous part of texture, which in the following decades will become characteristic of the works by Stockhausen, Holliger, Ligeti. “Time and Motion Study III” — the second choral composition of the composer — becomes one of the most famous examples of the idea of phoneme composition today. The work presents extraordinary requirements for singers regarding not only elementary intonation, but also the possession of almost the entire palette of timbres techniques that existed at that time. Special researcher’s attention is paid to the study of the choral parts of Ferneyhough’s musical and dramatic action “Shadowtime”, combining the experience of verbal-musical (“Missa brevis”) and phoneme (“Time and Motion Study III”) compositions. Like the previous choral compositions by Ferneyhough, here are presented timbre-textured techniques that are fundamental to the compositions of the second half of the 20th century and, at the same time, clearly declares itself the individuality of the composer — in the desire for maximum articulatory detail of each sound in the conditions of the subtlest nuance and almost complete absence of a visual action, especially surprising for musical and dramatic composition. In this, the author of the article sees the relationship between “Shadowtime” and the late Nono’s works, promoting a focus on musical sound, a desire for a tireless search for a new one, a rejection of the usual and routine, to go beyond his professional capabilities.

A Study of Using Deep Learning Technology to Improve the Accuracy of Polyphonic Singing in Community Choirs

Abstract Polyphonic choral singing can not only cultivate musical imagination and improve musical literacy but also allow singers to feel the harmonious and beautiful musical rhythm during polyphonic choral singing. To improve the accuracy of polyphonic singing, the study designed a music source separation structure based on recurrent neural networks using deep learning technology. And, combined with ResNet and CBAM, a joint neural network based on Res-CBAM was designed for optimization. After that, the main melody of the human voice was extracted using the polyphonic music melody extraction algorithm that was created in this paper. The listening training was then done in three areas: pitch, rhythmic rhythm, and vocal balance. The trained community choir members showed significant improvements in singing ability, breath control, pitch, rhythm, polyphonic choral ability, and expressiveness (p&lt;0.05). It indicates that the auditory discrimination training based on the polyphonic music melody extraction algorithm has a facilitative effect on the accuracy of polyphonic singing in the choir.

‘Sing a song for the peace of everyone’: sacred music and social cohesion

The topic of this article is sacred music as an instrument for social cohesion, spiritual growth, community empowerment and bridging boundaries. How does sacred music function as an instrument for cohesion? First, the article presents a case study: a choir comprising people experiencing homelessness in Amsterdam and a collaboration with a theologians’ choir. Second, a research presentation follows on how choral singers experienced the absence of choral singing in the Covid-19 pandemic. What impact did the lockdown have on singers? Did the absence of choral singing influence their sense of community? The data reveal that cohesion takes place in three ways, which singers mentioned occur when they sing together: musical, spiritual and social. Musical cohesion occurs while they sing together. Singers also mentioned spiritual cohesion and the experience of interconnectedness. Finally, it reflects on choral music as an instrument for social cohesion.

The Application of Aleatoric Technique through Graphic Notation in the Choral Composition “Acumalaka”

This article examines the use of aleatoric techniques through graphic notation in the choral music composition Acumalaka. It aims to demonstrate how aleatoric techniques and graphic notation can enhance artistic quality and musical expression. The composition process applied the practice-led research method, with the researcher serving as both composer and conductor. This approach involved the direct creation of the piece, alongside observing the choir's rehearsal and performance. Additionally, interviews with 14 singers were conducted to explore their experiences interpreting graphic notation and adapting to the creative freedom that aleatoric techniques allow. The collected data was analyzed thematically, combining critical reflections on the creative process with the singers' insights. Findings indicate that using aleatoric techniques through graphic notation enriched the musical dynamics, fostered creativity, and strengthened interactions among choir members. Moreover, aleatoric techniques and graphic notation can support innovative and collaborative musical experiences.

«Умелое слово» священника А. В. Анисимова: из истории русской духовной миссии в Иерусалиме во 2-й пол. 1880-х гг.

The article characterises the educational activities of the visiting employee of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, priest Alexander Vasilyevich Anisimov in 1887–1889. It describes the main facts of his biography and shows that prior to his appointment to Jerusalem he had had close contacts with the Holy Land as a pilgrim and spiritual writer. The position of a visiting employee established on the initiative and with financial support of the Orthodox Palestine Society, was associated with the need to accompany Russian pilgrims during their trips to Holy Places, to hold cultural and educational lectures (Palestinian readings) in Russian houses in evening time. A. V. Anisimov, who worked under the direct supervision and in collaboration with the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin), successfully coped with his responsibilities and gained love and respect of pilgrims. The readings were devoted to regular Christian holidays, the Sacred history of the Old and New Testaments, the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, various spiritual and moral issues, and were accompanied by a demonstration of pictures and choral singing. The obstacles to the continuation of A. V. Anisimov’s work included health problems, his desire to go beyond the boundaries of his duties, confl icts with the Greek clergy of Jerusalem Patriarchate. It is concluded that A. V. Anisimov’s activities laid the foundation for the Palestine Readings, which at that time were a new form of work and by the mid-20th century gradually transformed into a mass phenomenon, involving millions of Orthodox people throughout Russia.

STUDY ON THE COMPOSITION AND SINGING CHARACTERISTICS OF CHINESE ANCIENT POETRY CHORAL WORKS

ABSTRACT The study of the creation and singing characteristics of ancient poetic choral works involves the study of ancient poetic art, choral art, harmonic composition, song singing, conducting techniques and artistic development, which is a very challenging research topic. This is mainly due to the special characteristics of the subject matter itself. As an art that encompasses a wide range of subjects, chorus itself has many characteristics in terms of connotation and extension. As the most important element of choral art, the combination of choral composition and singing characteristics can emphasize the characteristics and style of choral art. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the choral works of ancient poems composed since the emergence of Chinese choral art, organize them into categories, then analyze their characteristics, and then summarize the corresponding singing characteristics of different styles, periods and genres, so as to come up with a complete system of ancient poems composition and singing characteristics. By combining qualitative research with quantitative research and through interviews with experts, the various weaves of this system are further refined. The results of this study will help to present some innovative ideas and help in the current field of Chinese ancient poetry choral works. It will be of some guidance to some scholars engaged in the art of mass choral singing as well as introductory choral conducting.

Psalm No.8 in Ukrainian Choral Music of the Late 20th – Early 21st Centuries: Analysis of Composer Interpretations

The purpose of the article is to identify the distinctive features of the embodiment of the spiritual content of Psalm No. 8 in the choral works “Lord, Our Master” by Yevhen Stankovych and “Psalm No. 8” by Oleksandr Yakovchuk. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach that includes historical-cultural, religious-philosophical, textual, and musicological aspects. The methods employed include historical, sociocultural, textual, musicological, interpretative, and comparative approaches. Scientific novelty. For the first time, different interpretations of the spiritual content of Psalm No. 8 in contemporary Ukrainian choral music are considered. Based on a comparative analysis of Y. Stankovych’s choral concert “Lord, Our Master” for mixed a cappella choir and O. Yakovchuk’s choral miniature “Psalm No. 8” for solo tenor and male a cappella choir, distinct and common features in the figurative-emotional, dramaturgical, and stylistic aspects of these works are revealed. Conclusions. It was found that the composers revealed the figurative-emotional, substantive, and semantic potential of the psalm text in different ways. The differences in interpretation concern the choice of genre, performance ensemble, text selection, embodiment of figurative content, emotional filling, and textural techniques. The common features of both works are manifested in the use of a cappella choir, a tendency towards harmonic colourfulness, the organic combination of chordal structure, imitative polyphony techniques, and folk polyphony. It is proven that the concept of the choral concert implied an elevated, solemn sound, while the choral miniature aimed for deep meditative concentration in prayer.

Wang Chao's "Journey": towards the problem of the "Ecological" trend in the contemporary choral work of Chinese composers

The subject of this study is the "ecological direction" as one of the most relevant in modern choral music by Chinese composers. The object of the study is to consider the stylistic features of the work "Journey" by Wang Chao. The purpose of this article is to study current trends in the development of choral creativity of Chinese composers. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the "ecological" trend in the music of Chinese composers and the stylistic features of Wang Chao's choral writing. Special attention is paid to the a cappella choir as the most natural "ecological" instrument. The author states that the stylist Wang Chao is distinguished by philosophical and aesthetic depth, semantic concentration. The appeal to all means of artistic expression in Wang Chao's a cappella choral compositions is characterized by an individual approach to solving the ideas of "ecological" music. The methodology consists in the synthesis of research methods, including philosophy, aesthetics and musicology. The parameters of the musical composition were revealed: the analyzed genre specifics and features of choral writing. Special attention is paid to the analysis of sonorous compositional technique and elements of scenography. The research experience is aimed at establishing the interrelationships between musical environmental aesthetics and the development of modern Chinese choral art. The main conclusion of the research is the paradigm of a deep stylistic synthesis of secular and spiritual, national and pan-European in the choral music of modern Chinese composers. In particular, this position has become a determining factor in Wang Chao's musical thinking. The author's special contribution to the topic is the study of the composition "Journey" (&amp;#36884;) for mixed a cappella choir, which has not previously been the object of special research. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time the "ecological" trend in Wang Chao's work is analyzed from the standpoint of philosophy, aesthetics, musicology and choral studies. Attention is focused on the need to study the "ecological" trend in the choral art of Chinese composers, associated with a new turn to the understanding of the role of sound in the universe and in regulating the relationship between man and the environment through sound and music, characteristic of ancient thinkers. In this regard, it is the sound of human voices in the a cappella choir that is becoming a landmark phenomenon.

Folk games as a tool of formation of artistic and creative competence of primary school children in music classes

The article describes the features of acquiring artistic and creative competence, as a child's elementary awareness of the specifics of art forms (artistic and productive, musical, theatrical); valuable attitude to art and artistic activity, the desire to perceive folklore art. Folkloric forms of the heritage of Ukrainian culture are considered. Teaching and methodical material and practical recommendations are offered, which in music classes will be useful both to experienced teachers of preschool institutions and to those workers who are starting to work with the smallest brains. Normative documents in the field of preschool education were studied and play competence was considered as a child's ability to free, emotionally saturated, spontaneous activity on his/her own initiative, in which the possibility of applying existing and assimilating new knowledge and personal development is realized due to the child's desire to participate in the life of adults through the realization of interests in game and role-playing actions in a generalized form. The necessity of using folk games for the formation of artistic and creative competence in preschool children is substantiated. Peculiarities of knowledge of the surrounding world of preschool children and themselves in it are determined. The work proposes to create a basis for the natural formation and development of musical abilities in preschoolers through a folk game by encouraging children to play folk games. It has been emphasized that raising children is based on love and respect for Ukrainian musical folklore. The secrets of conducting music classes using folk games and working with preschoolers are recommended to teachers of primary schools, music teachers, teachers of children's vocal ensembles of extracurricular and club institutions, scientists, graduate students, students of pedagogical and art educational institutions, parents and the general public

A Study of the Regional Characteristics of Liu Xiaogeng's Choral Music Works

Background and Aim: This article takes the regional characteristics of Liu Xiaogeng's choral music works as the main research subject, aiming to sort out the regional music characteristics and regional performance characteristics of Liu Xiaogeng's choral music works, to better guide the creation of contemporary Chinese choral music works. Materials and Methods: The research method of this thesis is mainly the literature analysis method and qualitative analysis method. The literature analysis method is mainly used to collect and sort out the information about Liu Xiaogeng's choral music works, which mainly comes from China Knowledge Network, Yunnan Provincial Library, Yunnan Provincial Museum of Literature and Art, the Internet, publishers, and purchased books. The qualitative analysis method is mainly used to screen the regional dialect characteristics, regional music style characteristics, regional music theme characteristics, and regional music cultural characteristics used in the relevant literature to classify the categories. Results: The main purpose of the study is to refine and summarise the regional characteristics of Liu Xiaogeng's choral music works, which include four aspects, namely, regional dialect characteristics, regional music style characteristics, regional music theme characteristics, and regional music cultural characteristics. Conclusion: Liu Xiaoqeng composes his works with the regional dialect liner notes, folk songs, or ditties of Yunnan Province as his main materials. These dialect liner notes, folk songs, or ditties have very different regional language characteristics and distinctive modal music styles. It is these characteristics that make Liu Xiaogeng's choral music works have distinctive regional characteristics.

Health Risks Associated with Microphone Sharing: A Survey of Awareness, Perception and Preventative Actions among Christian Church Choir Members in Taraba State, North-East, Nigeria

The aim of this study was to investigate the awareness and health actions related to the risks of microphone sharing among Christian choir members in Taraba State, Nigeria. Grounded in the Health Belief Model, the study utilised a descriptive survey design, sampling 225 choir members from 10 randomly selected churches across Taraba State, Northeast Nigeria. Data were collected via online questionnaires and analysed using simple descriptive statistics. The findings reveal a low level of awareness about the health risks associated with sharing microphones. The respondents generally demonstrated a negative perception towards these risks, with many expressing disbelief in the potential for disease transmission through shared microphones. Additionally, there was a notable lack of adherence to precautionary measures. The study found that microphones were infrequently cleaned, microphone foams were rarely replaced, and hand hygiene practices—such as hand washing and the use of sanitiser—were not routinely observed. The use of face masks and shields among choir members was also reported as rare. These findings have significant implications for public health practices within religious communities. They underscore the urgent need for increased awareness and education about the potential health risks of microphone sharing. Thus, the study recommends implementing regular cleaning protocols, ensuring the replacement of microphone foams, and promoting personal hygiene measures, including hand sanitisation and the use of face masks or shields during group singing activities. These measures are essential for mitigating health risks and ensuring the well-being of choir members.