Confidence and the choral singer: the effects of choir configuration,collaboration and communication

This is a qualitative study, based on a series of focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The research aims are: to explore the lived experience of choral singers; to identify some of the main influences on their perceptions of their voices and performance ability; to highlight some of the factors affecting their confidence as singers. Three focus group interviews, involving a total of eighteen singers, were carried out, followed by sixteen individual interviews. At the time of data collection, the majority of participants were involved in a range of different types of choral singing, and had experience of performing with a number of different conductors. The interviews each provided approximately two hours of recorded verbal data (over 40 hours in total), and have been analysed and interpreted using techniques based on interpretative phenomenological analysis. Emergent themes include situational and environmental factors, such as choral acoustics, choir configuration, and concert venues; the influence of significant others, including family, fellow singers, and conductors; and a number of issues related to choral direction, musical leadership and group dynamics. The ultimate aim of this research is to provide a set of useful recommendations for conductors and teachers with an interest in maximising confidence in choral ensembles.