Senior High Choirs: Examining Adolescent Choral Singers' Social Development within

School Music Ensembles: Suggestions and Implications for Choral Educators

Author(s): Amy Blosser and Elizabeth Cassidy Parker
Source: The Choral Journal, Vol. 52, No. 4 (NOVEMBER 2011), pp. 53-55
Published by: American Choral Directors Association
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23560605
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mester Challenge your students, but don't growth and are strengthening a foundation
More than likely, you will find a supportive
overwhelm or frustrate them. that will last for their entire life.
colleague willing to offer a sympathetic ear
and sound advice to understand how best Having spent the last five years conduct
to proceed, ing research studies regarding student social
Understand and respect the power
development in school choirs, my first study,
dynamics within the department, school,
located In a large northeastern city, engaged
college, and university
action research,1 which Is a method that
Greatest power often resides in the
Senior High Choirs allows a teacher to investigate her own
least likely place. Befriend the administra AmyBlosser;
Amy Blossen classroom in order to pose problems and
tive assistant(s), custodian(s), and computer Former National R&S Chair seek solutions within the educative process.
person (people).These individuals can help The intent was to know how my own stu
you avoid problems, or joyfully watch you dents defined belonging2 within the choir
walk into them. Give the same respect to contextThe concern was about the negative
the individuals who sweep the floors and set consequences of teenage isolation and the
up tables that you give to your dean, provost, Examining Adolescent Choral Singers' belief that singing could act as a protective
chancellor; or president. Social Development within mechanism. As a result, the researcher met
Those who hired you genuinely want you School Music Ensembles: with several students in small groups dur
to succeed.With that in mind, respond to e Suggestions and Implications ing lunch periods and asked them, "What
mails from your dean and department chair for Choral Educators does it feel like to belong in choir?" and
first. Also, look for correspondence from "Tell me about the kinds of interactions

your search committee chair He/She has a you have with other choral students." The
by
vested interest in your success.That person second study was similar to the first, except
Elizabeth Cassidy Parker
can be your staunchest ally. the investigation included three different
mldwestern high school choral programs,
Editors note: This is a condensed to discover individuals' processes of social
When you leave a position,
development.3 In the third study, the focus
leave with grace and dignity version of a paper delivered at the 201 I
was on examining twenty midwestern high
ACDA National Conference in Chicago
Boy Scout leaders encourage troop school students' philosophical beliefs about
at the Senior High Choirs Roundtable
members to leave campsites in better Session. what music is and how they describe music
condition than when they arrived.Take that making experiences with others.4 The goal
same attitude into leaving a job. Whether of this column is to outline four common
you view your exit as positive or negative, themes that resulted from the research.
Choral teachers have an enormous
fair or unfair; avoid the temptation to leave
and incalculable Impact upon high school
carnage in your wake. Colleagues may
students every day as musical role models,
forget what you did while on their faculty, Being Chosen:
mentors, and consistent adults. Regardless
To Audition or Not to Audition
but they will never forget how you leave.
of how much or little time choral teachers
Former colleagues will receive both official The researcher examined different choral
spend intentionally building a community,
and unofficial inquiries when you apply for
singers become a team with one another contexts, Including unauditioned"come one,
future positions. Make sure that the memory come all" choirs and auditioned ensembles.
because of the many regular and extraor
of your time on a faculty is not tainted by an Within auditioned ensembles, a pivotal mo
dinary ways they are asked to make music,
ungraceful departure. ment for each student was selection for the
including singing in daily rehearsal and per
forming together in major and minor venues.
group.When students auditioned and were
You are not alone
Students develop immeasurably in how they chosen, they were invited into a special envi
define themselves as individuals and within ronment, a place where they would wear the
Remain connected with colleagues from badges of their membership, including choir
peer groups, because of their involvement
graduate school, faculty mentors from your robes or gowns. Being chosen gave students
In high school choral programs/Through the
various degrees, and professional acquain a feeling of importance and competency,
tances from ACDA conferences and other dally act of singing with others, students are
not only building on their own musicianship,
and feelings of confirmation for who they
professional gatherings. When plans and were as singers. For students in unauditioned
but also drawing important relationships
ideas seem to gain no support from your
between the music they sing and their be groups, they described the elected aspects of
department or when students seem not to signing up for choir delimited the group to
liefs about what music is.They are investing
respond to anything you try, reach out to only those who wanted the shared experi
in musical experiences as a means to self
those who have been at this longer than you.

CHOR/ vL JOURNAL Volume 52 Number 4 53

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 icMi(£a-V(A

ence of singing. They liked that choir was Additionally, when each choir within the identity as much as their participation and
open to all who wanted to participate, since high school has its own name, rather than integration with other singers within their
it "leveled the playing field," but they also traditional titles such as Mixed, Concert and section. Having a strong affiliation with the
reveled in the fact that they had chosen it. Chamber Choirs, and have different foci bass section, for example, is important for a
Choral teachers may call an audition, (whether it be a repertoire focus, types of singer's overall feelings of competency and
an "interview" to soften the fear-inducing performances given or different missions), purpose. Students become interdependent
experience or avoid them altogether; but each group is able to make its own mark and rely on their mutuality. The sectional
research studies indicate that auditioning is upon the school environment and can em- interdependence helps to fuel and support
an important part of an adolescent's experi- brace a unique purpose. the larger group identity of the choir
ence.5This understanding begs the question, Students also agreed that each section
what happens to those students who are has a personality and a role within the
not invited into the select ensemble? It was Sectional Identity as social fabric of the larger ense
found when choral teachers use the audition a Pathway to Team choir; one section describ
as a placement tool, e.g., having everyone jhe entire choral group functions as a as troublemakers w
audition and then placing every individual large machine, while soprano, alto, tenor and that they were the discip
within the choral program, it is a useful way (-,ass sections contribute to its function Stu- sP0ke about relating t
to validate each individual's contribution, dents did not talk about their whole-group through their own secti

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54 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 52 Number 4

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 ":lj Ife "
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embraced the label of themselves as sopra- When students felt pride In their own group purpose and experience teamwork
contrl
and
nos or basses and felt It was another badge bution to the group, it also had a ripple a strong sense of belonging.These are
effect
they wore proudly within the larger school to feeling proud about the choralextraordinary
program consequences of the choral
environment. and the entire school. experience that choral teachers bring to
theiraschools.
A consequence of pride was strong
sense of individual identity. Most students
It Is clear that although the choral experi
ence
Singing as the Vehicle did not Indicate that transcends
they wouldthe act
beofmusic
singing alone, it
is the most important
to Social Development majors in the future.They did say that being vehicle to achieving
these profound outcomes. In a time when
Many singers observed the fact that in choir made them appreciate themselves
the arts are at risk, it feels particularly im
when you sing, you are sharing an experi- and work harder ln other areas' Sin§ers self"
portant to reflect on data that tells us how
ence with another person. Several indicated Scribed one another as having long-term
crucial our jobs are In our own communities.
it Is something they share uniquely with Soals' and feel,ng more confident in other
Adolescents develop socially through the
students in the school, and the choral expe- areas because of the challenges they had
choral experience.The strong sense of self
nence resided only with those who shared overcome within their musical develop
that they achieve will serve them for years
their school's choral experience. A few stu- ment Rnal|y' believed theV learned
to come.
dents suggested that the choral experience self-acceptance from the choral experience
extends to everyone who participates in because of the wa/s that Sln§'ng wlth others
choir wherever they may be. Choral experi- had made them appreciate their individual
NOTES
enees are universal and not limited to any contribution,
one group.
Creswell, J. (2008). Educational Research: Planning,
Students also noted that, when they sing,
The Role of Choral Teachers Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and
they are using their bodies as their instru
Qualitative Research. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle
ments.To these individuals, singing embodies The role of the choral teacher is consid
River; NJ: Pearson Education.
" a collective risk, because individuals breathe erable within an adolescent choral singer's
2 Parker, E. C. (2010). "Exploring Student
together; in effect putting themselves out social development. Singers articulated a
Experiences of Belonging within An Urban
there in front of the larger community. When variety of strategies that helped them de
High School Choral Ensemble: An Action
singers effectively break down barriers be- vel°P socially within the choral
Research Study." classroom,
Music Education Research,
tween each other by sharing voices, they are First, spending time with individual students
12,339-52.
collectively opening up. This phenomenon ¡s meaningful to their
2 Parker development.
E. C. (2009). "Understanding the When
Process
helps to create a safe space in the choral teachers give oftheir own
of Social time,
Identity they demon
Development in High
classroom, a place where students also safely strate to the student that
School s/he
Choral is important,
Singers: A Grounded
open themselves up to potential friend- Choral teachersTheory."
also Dissertation
have the unique
Abstracts op
International
ships with one another in the larger school portunity to be a dependable mentor for
AAI3350454.
4
environment several years within the high school environ Parker E. C. (in press). "Uncovering Adolescent
ment, which can be powerful for students.
Choral Singers Philosophical Beliefs of Music
Secondly, choral teachers contribute to
Making: A Qualitative Inquiry." International

Acknowledgement and Pride social development when they encourage

Journal of Music Education: Practice.

When the students were asked, what student voice' Students are 5 encouraged
It is important to note that the students who
volunteered as participants for these studies
does it feel like to be a member of choirthey to work out their own challenges wrth the
are also the same students who had gained
immediately stated, "Pride. Accomplished"! repertoire and are given the tools to do so.
entry to the selective ensembles through
Adolescents have a need to have their own °ver several /ears of Participation, students
audition. These data cannot be generalized
experiences validated by important others observe older students takin8 on informal
to other students' experience auditioning
in their lives.They described being confirmed leadership roles. Veteran members work as
for choir A further study examining student
for their participation by parents, admmis- mentors t0 newer members, helping them
experiences, for those who do not gain entry
trators, friends, especially choral teachers. wlth dlfflcult Parts' slttlnS next to thenn
through ln process, would give
the audition
One student remarked that he felt proud rehearsaL As students develoP important
in a§e and
context to this inquiry.
of his performance when his choral teacher membership, they assume the mentorship
described how proud she was of the group. roles that others have held Thlrd|y' soclal
Students rely on theirteacher's input and are development appears linked to group excel
seeking an honest opinion. They especially lence' When chorai teachers are r|g°rous
appreciated a teacher's praise when it oc- but fair and when students are exPected t0
curred rarely, because then It meant more. work hard t0 succeed'the/ feel a sense of

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 52 Number 4 55

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