The Impact of Choral Singing on Children & Youth Presented by Catherine Davies ACDA Children’s Choir Conductors Retreat

The Chorus Impact Study: How Children, Adults, and Communities Benefit from Choruses

Watch the You Tube video! http://www.chorusamerica.org/impact09_CBS_video.cfm

Methodology Respected research firm Online surveys of: More than 2,000 singers in choruses of all kinds 500 members of the general public 500 parents 300 K-12 educators from a variety of disciplines

Reasoning Previous research on value of instrumental music education. Choral singing has often been overlooked by researchers—this data fills that research gap.

Four primary findings Far more people sing in choruses than participate in any other performing art. People who sing in choruses demonstrate characteristics that make them remarkably good citizens. Children who sing in choruses have academic success and valuable life skills. Parents & educators report a troubling decline in choral singing opportunities for children.

Benefits for children who sing… Children who sing in choruses demonstrate valuable life skills. Parents and educators from every discipline attribute a significant part of academic success to singing in a choir.

Benefits for children who sing… Parents date their child’s improvements in a variety of areas to their joining a choral group. That, and the breadth of benefits described by both parents and educators, points to a unique ‘chorus effect,’ one that isn’t simply replicated by participation in other activities.

Benefits for children who sing… 70% of parents said their child is more self-confident is more self-disciplined developed better memory skills

Chart 5: Choir Participation and Children’s Success Skills

Benefits for children who sing… 80% of educators and parents say that choir participation enhances numerous aspects of a child’s: academic success (including better grades) social development

Chart 4: Choir Participation and Academic Performance

Benefits for children who sing… 90% of educators believe choir participation keeps some students engaged in school who might otherwise be lost.

Chart 6: Educators on Choir Participation and Student Success Skills

Chart 7: Educators on Student Choir Participation and Social Skills

Chart 8: Choir Participation and School, Community Participation Furthermore, 76% of educators say they can tell which students in their classes participate in choir.

The adults matter, too… Educators tell us that schools where parental involvement is high are: Significantly more likely to have music programs than schools where parental influence is low (96% v. 81%) Significantly more likely to have choir programs than low parental influence schools (80% v. 60%) Parents, educators & choral singers identify these priorities for training young singers: Develop listening skills Choose music that kids can relate to Provide lots of positive individual & group feedback

Decline in choral singing opportunities for children… More than one in four educators surveyed said there is no choral program in their schools. More than one in five parents said that there were no choral singing opportunities for their children in their communities 65% of adult choristers say they got their first choral experience in elementary or middle school, down from 69% in 2003.

Making the case for choral programs Choral singing is an accessible entry point for arts exposure, with fewer barriers—economic, cultural, or educational. More choral singing opportunities in schools and communities could be a good strategy for bolstering student achievement and engagement in schools. Leveraging the benefits that choruses bring to children, adults, and communities is good for schools and society.

Tools Available Chorus America’s 2009 Chorus Impact Study Executive Summary for download Top 10 Reasons to sing in a choir Parents’ Guide YouTube video & this PowerPoint For more information about how to use these resources, visit: www.chorusamerica.org.