To Sing or Not to Sing: A study on the development of `non-singers' in choral activity

The value and purpose of the singing phenomenon is something that is prized in cultures throughout the world, and yet in the often musically elitist context of Western society, it is perceived as something that you either can or cannot do. This article describes research that was carried out with a group of self-perceived non-singers, who enrolled in an adult education class in order to learn how to sing. Data was collected largely through observation over a period of seven months, as well as through questionnaires and interviews. The results and analysis show that singing development can take place and attitudes can be modified with the careful and sensitive direction of a conductor or teacher. People just need the opportunity.