From Choirs to Collective Singing Communities: Learning the Art of Care from a Journey Through Lebanon, Mozambique, Benin, and Greece

In this paper we discuss a journey through different collective singing experiences held between 2019 and 2023 in Lebanon, Mozambique, Benin, and Greece. It is an autoethnographic work that includes the short-term participant observation of a choir in a context of conflicting neighbourhoods (Lebanon); the long-term experience of teaching choirs in a musical project aiming at social integration (Mozambique); the short-term experience of leading musical activities in a project for orphaned children rescued from voodoo convents (Benin); and the medium-term experience of facilitating music sessions in an organization working with people living in refugee camps (Greece). Ethics of care emerged as an inspiration for reformulating previous European choir tradition practices, adapting it to the reality of each context and supporting the overall experience. Starting from an idea of choir rooted in our European background, this journey transformed our perception of collective singing communities and how we can nurture well-being and build a sense of care within groups. Assuming different types of leadership, adapting the communication to specific circumstances, and being aware of opposite needs for continuity were the main strategies involved in making each experience a unique act of care.