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Perceptions of community choral children on singing and influences

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Perceptions of community choral children on singing and influences

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Content PERCEPTIONS OF COMMUNITY CHORAL CHILDREN
ON SINGING AND INFLUENCES

by

John Patrick Dennison

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF MUSIC
(MUSIC EDUCATION)

May 2012

Copyright 2012 John Patrick Dennison

ii
Dedication

To my son Noah.
May you grow to love music in your own way.
iii
Acknowledgements
I would like to gratefully acknowledge Professor Sheila Woodward for her
guidance, support, and belief that I could undertake this research project, and for
assisting me with the editing and submission process via e-mail and Skype after I
moved away. I am honored to have worked with you.
I would like to thank my committee members, Professor Crisitan Grases and
Professor Beatriz Ilari, for their advice, expertise, and time dedicated to this work.
I would like to acknowledge my colleagues at USC for their ideas,
suggestions, and encouragement. I would also like to acknowledge the choral
directors, administrators, and singers of the community choral programs that
participated in this research for their time and thoughts on singing and music.
Thank you to my parents and grandparents for their support and love, and
thank you to my wife Nicole for standing by me every step of the way.

iv
Table of Contents
Dedication ii

Acknowledgements iii

List of Tables vii

Abstract viii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Background 1
“Children of the Digital Age” 1
Live Sources 2
Singing as the First Musical Experience 4
Need for the study 5
Purpose Statement 6
Research Questions 6
Limitations of the study 7
Assumptions 7
Definitions 7

Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature 9
Introduction 9
Music Influence and Sources of Influence 9
Music influences of children 10
Sources of influence: Digital music and electronic mediums 12
The digital music download 13
Portable music players 13
Television 16
Sources of influence: Live singing 18
Children singing with their parents 18
Singing in an educational environment 22
Singing in community choral programs 25
Children’s Feelings toward their Musical Experiences 26
Construct of attitude 28
Attitude measurement 29
Children’s feelings toward music 29
Conclusion 31
v
Chapter 3: Methodology 33
Introduction 33
Sample 34
Target population 34
Recruitment procedure 34
Inclusion criteria 36
Exclusion criteria 36
Study participants 37
Study Design 37
Research instrument 38
Procedure 39
Pilot study 40
Modifications to procedure after completion of the pilot study 40
Modifications to instrument after completion of the pilot study 41
Analysis Design 41
Conclusion 42

Chapter 4: Results 44
Introduction 44
Research Question 1 44
Influences from electronic devices 45
Influences from live sources 48
Primary vocal influences 50
Research Question 2 52
Electronic devices 53
Live singing 54
Medium for listening to primary singing influences 55
Research Question 3 56
Feelings associated with listening to singing 56
Feelings associated with own singing 57
Summary of Results 60

Chapter 5: Summary, Discussion and Conclusion 61
Summary 61
Discussion of Outcomes 61
Analysis of research questions 61
Research question 1 62
Research question 2 65
Research question 3 68
Implications for Music Education 72
Recommendations for Further Research 75
Conclusion 78
vi

References 80

Appendix A: Recruitment script for soliciting study subjects 85
Appendix B: Child Assent Form 86
Appendix C: Youth Assent Form 87
Appendix D: Parent Consent Form 89
Appendix E: Script for survey directions 91
Appendix F: Survey 92
Appendix G: Singing Influences 93

vii
List of Tables
Table 1: Demographical characteristics of study participants ................................... 37

Table 2: Categories for singing influences using electronic device ........................... 45

Table 3: Singing influences via electronic devices .................................................... 47

Table 4: Categories for singing influences from live setting ..................................... 49

Table 5: Singing influences via live settings.............................................................. 50

Table 6: Categories for primary singing influences ................................................... 51

Table 7: Primary singing influences .......................................................................... 52

Table 8: Frequency of electronic device usage .......................................................... 54

Table 9: Frequency of settings identified for listening to live singing ...................... 55

Table 10: Feelings associated with listening to singing ............................................. 57

Table 11: Feelings associated with the participants’ own singing ............................. 59
viii
Abstract
The range of musical experiences for most Western children in the 21
st

century is broad. Children listen to and are influenced by singing from various
sources, including electronic devices and live settings. This exploratory study aimed
to investigate children’s perceptions of their primary singing influences, the
mediums through which they experience those influences, and their feelings
associated with singing and when listening to singing. The study sample was
comprised of 90 children ages 8 to 15 years, who were actively engaged in three
community chorus programs in a major city in California. An anonymous, written
survey was administered during regular ensemble rehearsals. The results are reported
in narrative style.

1
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
Children develop a musical life that is influenced by the environment around
them. Whereas in the past music was solely experienced as a live, social
phenomenon, significant advances have been achieved in technology that allow
individuals to access sound recordings in multiple ways. The opportunities available
for most Western children to experience music at the present time include a wide
variety of technologies in which music is reproduced for personal consumption,
alongside various possibilities for experiencing music in a live setting. Children of
the twenty-first-century have new perspectives on the way they are experiencing
music, influenced by the “ethno-, media-, and techno-scapes that surround them”
(Campbell, 2010, p. 12). It would be of value to the music education profession to
learn more about how children currently perceive their experiences of music. This
investigation sought to look specifically at how children who are currently engaged
in community choral programs perceive their primary singing influences, the
mediums through which they listen to singing, and their feelings associated with
singing or listening to singing.
“Children of the Digital Age”
Over a short period of time, technology has developed in a way that makes
music extremely accessible to many Western children in a digital format. The way
we purchase music has also changed; moving from physical media (LPs, cassettes,
2
CDs) to the downloading of digital content from the internet onto various devices.
One report compared the leading music download sites in 2011 and found between
six to eight million music titles available on both iTunes and Amazon.com (Music
download comparisons, 2011). The practice of downloading music is currently being
challenged by music streaming services that allow immediate access to music
through an online subscription. Sites such as rhapsody.com and emusic.com each
have five million titles available for online streaming. Children in the present time
are experiencing access to a global world of music which expands each year to
become more comprehensive and accessible.
Growing up in this technological age, children are increasingly adept at
accessing content through these new mediums. However, they are not simply acting
as passive observers, but are “absorbing meaningful information through the media
that surround them” (Campbell, 2010, p. 220). They have been referred to as the
“children of the digital age” (Campbell, 2010, p. 220), due to the presence of
technology in their lives. Given this increased presence, it may be a natural
occurrence that TV, the internet, or other electronic media devices provide the main
sources for children’s musical influences.
Live Sources
Alongside this technological revolution, music continues to exist within live
performance mediums. Children experience musical performances, both formal and
informal, in diverse settings. These opportunities of live musical performance take
3
on a range of social and cultural roles and meanings, sometimes constituting a source
of connection and interaction for individuals, families, and communities. One current
means for children to hear live music in a formal setting is made possible through a
wide range of community and professional organizations that plan concerts catering
to family audiences. The New York Philharmonic (NYP) holds the longest known
running series of family concerts in America, starting in 1922 and popularized by the
televised broadcasts of Leonard Bernstein between 1958 and 1972. A statement from
the NYP website describes the current goals of the series:
Each season, the Young People's Concerts take a different approach to
explore fundamental musical concepts and the cultural history of classical
music. Over the four-concert series, children discover pieces from the entire
repertory down to the newest works, while experiencing the inner workings
of a major orchestra in a captivating, multimedia format. (New York
Philharmonic Education Department, 2010)

Similar programs by professional and local musical organizations exist throughout
the United States, providing communities with opportunities to experience music in
concerts and interactive formats.
Not all live music experiences occur in formal concert settings. Additional
opportunities may occur in a school classroom or assembly, community event, or
church. And, of course, live music-making may take place informally in the home. In
each of these instances, the child may be in the presence of the music maker(s) or
even participating in the music making with family members and visitors to the
home. For some children, a regular and on-going musical source in a live setting
4
might be the child’s music teacher or music director who might perform and model
music making for the child.
The experience of listening to music in a live setting may create a lasting
memory for a young child. However, studies on musical memory generally use
recorded music to control the listening experience. Morrison, Demorest, and
Stambaugh’s (2008) experimental listening study on musical memory of children
and adults found that both age groups “were more successful remembering Western
classical music” recordings than recorded music from another culture (p. 124). The
focus of a study on children’s emotional response to classical music (Woody &
Burns, 2001) also relies on recorded music excerpts as source material. Research that
focuses on musical experiences, both in live settings and through digital mediums,
may provide new insight into how children perceive their full range of musical
influences.
Singing as the First Musical Experience
The home is a safe and comfortable environment where children often have
their first musical experiences. Singing is found to be a preferred musical experience
for infants (Ilari & Sundara, 2009) and has been identified as a form of proto-
communication with infants. Before speech and language can be understood, the
qualities of singing have elements of communication that infants are able to
recognize. In the interactions between mother and child following birth, Dissanayake
(2009) describes a similarity between the “simplified, repeated, exaggerated and
5
elaborated versions of adult communicative signals” (p. 23). Although infants are
unable to comprehend direct communication, they may be able to process the
emotions of singing through specific musical elements. Powers and Trevarthen
(2009) identified emotional connections between mother and infant through the
timbre, timing, and narratives found in singing. The infant interprets the elements of
musicality in these mother-infant vocalizations, commonly known as motherese.
Piaget’s stages of human development places children between ages 8 and 15
in a transition between the concrete operational to formal operational stage. They
advance from a capacity to conserve music concepts and styles by age 11, to
becoming “capable of interpretive reasoning and sensitive to stylistic nuances in
performances” at age 15 (Haroutounian, 2002, p. 227). This progression of human
development, coupled with the current landscape of opportunities to experience
music, shapes the way children grow musically. It would be of interest to the music
education profession, as children's singing influences diversify over their years of
development, to know who are currently identified as primary sources of singing
inspiration and in what settings these influences occur. Of further interest is how
children perceive their own feelings when they are listening to singing or
participating in singing.
Need for the study
There is a need for new research that would provide information regarding
singing influences on young choral singers, and the settings and mediums through
6
which they listen to this singing. Choral directors might benefit from ongoing studies
of current trends in influences, as these are constantly changing over time. There is
also a need for research pertaining to the feelings of young choral singers. A survey
with open-ended questions was designed to explore children's thoughts on a range of
influences and feelings associated with singing, which may provide new insights into
how young singers might perceive their experiences in choral music. Music
educators may be able to apply the results in providing a framework for better
understanding their own singers and making program decisions with the singers’
interests in mind.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this research study is to investigate the perceptions of
children in community chorus programs regarding their primary singing influences
and the settings and mediums in which those influences occur. Furthermore, it aims
to determine the children's perceptions of their feelings while they are actively
engaged in singing or listening to singing. The following research questions guided
this investigation:
Research Questions
1. What are young choral singers' perceptions of their primary vocal
influences?
2. In what settings or through what mediums are these influences taking
place?
7
3. What are young choral singers' perceptions of their feelings when singing
or listening to singing?
Limitations of the study
The conclusions of this study are limited to the participants who were
recruited from three community choral programs in one city in California. The
results are not generalizable to a wider population, but may provide valuable
information alongside similar research on population groups across a broader
geographical region.
Assumptions
While the responses cannot be verified, it is assumed that the participants
answered the questions honestly regarding their perceptions. In order to promote the
honest answering of questions, the surveys were completed anonymously. The choral
directors were required to remain where they could not see the responses and
participants were assured that their directors and parents would not be given access
to the surveys at any stage.
Definitions
This section contains the definitions of terms.
“Portable Media Player (PMP)” is any portable media device that can be
used to listen to music by playing digital music files. The ‘iPod’ is the most common
brand name and is often considered a synonym for a portable media player.
8
“Car Stereo System” is the components of audio production that are available
in most vehicles. This may include an AM/FM radio, CD player, cassette player, or
an auxiliary connection for a PMP. Some vehicles come equipped with satellite radio
players (accessed via paid subscriptions) or devices that can access streaming music
websites such as Pandora.
“mp3” is a digital audio format that has been compressed from the original
audio source into a smaller size. This has a particular function for PMPs, as it allows
the user to carry a greater amount of songs in mp3 format than if the songs were in
their original uncompressed format. An mp3 suffers from a loss of audio quality
during the compression process.

9
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Introduction
This chapter discusses research literature pertaining to the three research
questions driving this study. Musical lives are a construct of many combined sources
and experiences, and are ultimately shaped by individuals and the communities in
which they interact. Today's children develop in a unique era of global connectivity,
yet remain rooted to their experiences in the home and local community. The
influences children receive from popular musicians (largely experienced through
digital media) are complemented by influences from musical activities of family,
friends, and community members. This review of the literature shares previous
research on topics related to the present study. The first section discusses the
research on musical influences and the ways in which children access these
influences. This includes sub-sections which examine the current literature on digital
music and the increasing presence of music technology in the lives of children, as
well as research indicating how children perceive singing in a live setting. The
remaining sections focus on children’s feelings associated with music, including a
discussion of musical attitude and how it is developed and measured.
Music Influence and Sources of Influence
This section shares the research concerning influences and the sources from
which these influences are identified. Much of the research in this area aims to
discover how children respond to their music influences and how that affects their
10
own musical lives. One goal of this area of research is to help music educators
establish stronger connections between their choral music programs and the
everyday musical lives of their students. In order to do so, it is helpful to know the
sources of children’s musical influence and how they encounter these influences.
Music influences of children. Some of the research on this topic centers on
children’s uses of music in their lives and the reasons for which children decide to
participate in music. Griffin’s (2009) narrative investigates accounts of second and
third grade children about their musical experiences both in and out of school, with a
focus on how they encounter their music influences when on their own. The children
were eager to discuss their pop culture influences with the researcher, and he
concluded that “pop culture and musical technology seemed very prevalent in the
lives of these children” (Griffin, 2009, p. 171). The researcher stated that “the notion
of being free to listen to their own choices of music outside of school appeared to be
important to them” (Griffin, 2009, p. 171). The musicians in the home, such as
parents or siblings, were also included in the conversations. The children spoke of
the family members that sang or played music for them, and how siblings were
sometimes responsible for introducing the subjects to new influences. This study,
however, did not focus on who the pop culture influences were, though the subjects
were clearly excited about them. Additionally, the family members that shared in
musical experiences were not specifically described as musical influences.
11
Marsh (1999) found that popular music influences have an impact on
children’s play, similar to the way that children’s songs are used during play. The
researcher argued that the presence of recorded popular music was beneficial to
children’s play, as it provided new ideas and ways to engage with music influences.
“These include the interpolation of musical, textual or movement formulae derived
from popular music performances into playground games, the parodying of popular
music icons in game texts and movements, and the adaptation of whole popular song
texts and melodies accompanied by new game movements” (Marsh, 1999, p. 9). The
choice of popular songs and musicians to emulate during play suggests that the
children were conscious of their influences and found ways to incorporate them into
their own musical lives.
For children just entering the world of formal music instruction, researchers
would like to know the influences that initiate their participation. Warnock (2009)
studied one school’s population of sixth grade students on their decision to
participate in band or chorus programs, and their reasons behind the decision. In
particular, Warnock (2009) found that “students who chose to go into band had
stronger parental support for music study than those who chose chorus or no school
music classes” (p. 71). Warnock concluded parental support has an influence over
the child’s feelings towards music participation, particularly in which field of music
they would join. With regards to the choral field, a follow-up study of this nature
12
could focus on children who chose the chorus over band and the reason or influences
that contributed to this decision.
While these examples of research explore the presence of musical influences
in the lives of children, they lack the specific identities of the musicians involved in
those influences. The narrative reports of Griffin (2009) and Campbell (2010) make
clear that musical influences play a key role in the lives of children. Studies that
contribute information on the specific identities of these musical influences on
children would be valuable as they might give us clues as to the nature of children's
musical cultures.
Sources of influence: Digital music and electronic mediums. The presence
and development of technology has changed the way that humans interact with each
other; in both global and local peer networks (Stald, 2008), and with themselves
(Bull, 2005). The prevalence of technology in our lives has changed how we
experience music, and this trend will continue to grow as new ideas for technology
are developed. This section will identify some of the research on these new forms of
digital media and how they are utilized, with a specific focus on children.
The prevalent research focusing on children growing up in the current
technological era is well documented (Campbell, 2010; Lum, 2008; Palfrey &
Gassler, 2008). The opportunities for children to access music in digital formats has
increased exponentially in the previous decade, as the IFPI (International Federation
of the Phonographic Industry) reported a 1000% increase in the value of the digital
13
music market between 2004 and 2010 (Music download comparisons, 2011). For
children searching for access to sources of their music interests, the digital format is
a highly utilized avenue, once they understand how to navigate it. Palfrey and
Gassler (2008) term “digital natives” refers to this “new generation (which) didn’t
have to relearn anything to live lives of digital immersion. They only know a world
that is digital” (p. 4). Digital immersion refers to the many areas of life that are now
permeated with technology. The following sub-sections focus primarily on
technology for digital music and its use by children.
The digital music download. Children’s use of digital music is predicated on
the ways in which they can access and listen to it. Digital forms of music are most
commonly attained via internet downloads that are possible through over 400
legitimate music services, which made up 29% of the music industry revenue in
2010 (Moore, 2011). The scope of unauthorized downloads of digital music (pirated
downloads) remains unknown, but is evident by the fact that the global recorded
music revenues declined by 31% between 2004 and 2010, the same period as the
1000% increase in the value of digital music (Moore, 2011). While pirated music is a
significant subject of concern in the music industry, it will not be discussed in this
study. It must be mentioned, however, as a supplement to legal sale of digital
downloads to gain a complete picture of digital music today.
Portable music players. One of the major draws of digital music is its
mobility. Once downloaded, the user can transfer the digital recording to a portable
14
media player (PMP), for listening away from the home. Bull’s (2005) research on the
use of mobile listening devices (specifically the iPod portable music player) found
that “the ability to continually adjust music, whilst on the move, to [fit] moods with
sophistication and precision” was a significant improvement to previous technology
(p. 344). These previous technologies, such as the Discman or Walkman, provided
mobility where success was contingent on the disc or tape being considered the
"right" music to listen to at a given time. Bull’s study focused on how the PMP
enters into the daily motions of life, particularly pedestrian travel around urban areas,
as a way of controlling one single aspect of an otherwise unpredictable life. “The
iPod user carries their entire music collection with them wherever they go, thus
giving them an unprecedented amount of choice of music to listen to” (Bull, 2005, p.
344). He concludes that the variety of musical choice allows the PMP user to feel
“empowered in their solitude” when surrounded by the unknown elements of an
urban area (Bull, 2005, p. 353).
A child’s use of PMP differs from the profile of an adult urban listener. PMPs
for children have become a commodity due to the commercial marketing specifically
at the younger demographic. These products include similar or equivalent technology
of PMPs for adults, yet differ in the packaging, design, or color (Bickford, 2011).
Others are significantly toned down in functionality and available disk space, in
favor of low cost. Additionally, mobile phones now fall into this category, as their
functionality has grown “from being a portable telephone to being a handheld
15
computer with enough data and speed capacity to facilitate mobile internet access
and mp3 music” (Stald, 2008, p. 145). There is little research on the use of mobile
phones as a PMP, since these devices are new to this multi-functionality. However,
the technology trend of a single device that handles multiple tasks is growing in
favor.
Research on the use of portable music players by children identifies the
solitary listener (Campbell, 2010), as well as shared listening experiences with
modified PMPs (Bickford, 2011). From Campbell’s research on the way children use
music, she states that the children of the digital age are able to decide “how much
[music] to allow in their lives” (Campbell, 2010, p. 5). Through her interviews, she
discovered trends of active music making, as well as children that “seek out the
mediated music of CDs, DVDs, iPods, and video games to stimulate or lull them”
(Campbell, 2010, p. 11). For example, in contrast to the music games and chants of
peers on the school bus, Campbell singled out a child listening to “adult music” on a
PMP, noting that he gains a “different worldview … lacking the childlike qualities of
his contemporaries” (Campbell, 2010, p. 50). This subject chose to create his own
“unique, regulated soundscape that mediates the experience of whatever space [he]
passed through” (Bull, 2005, p. 351). The bus ride became a place to distance him
from the others that participate in the common musical games of the ride.
In contrast, Bickford (2011) found a different use of PMP by children. In his
ethnographic research of children’s music listening habits, he identified the PMP as a
16
shared listening device where children split the headphone cable (known as ear buds)
so that two can share in the listening experience. In his opinion, these children
“creatively reimagined their music devices to fit within the persistent and densely
sociable cultures of childhood, as tangible technologies for interaction and intimacy
that traced out bonds and tethered friends together in joint activity” (Bickford, 2011,
p. 136). The shared experience allowed for a listening experience between friends
that was not isolated, but also not broadcast to all (such as watchful teachers).
Additionally, the children found that they could speak to each other in social groups
while also listening to digital music as a pair.
The acquisition and use of a digital download, either directly on the computer
or with a PMP, requires a certain amount of user interaction with content in order to
obtain what is desired. This can take place through an internet search, sharing music
online by email, browsing subscription services or blogs, or other means.
Additionally, the user may wish to download something new or unknown in hopes of
a pleasant discovery. The interaction and choice in this type of music acquisition is
not unlike visiting a record store in the recent past, except that the process can be
completed in the home and on the user’s schedule. For children with access to the
computer, the digital download is an accessible means of discovering new music that
influences their musical attitudes.
Television. The television is another source for digital music, among other
types of programming. Lum’s (2008) study of homes in Singapore identified the
17
television as centrally prominent, “making it a vital sound source in the family
soundscape” (p. 103). Lum’s research into the technology use in family homes with
young children found different ways children interact with television programs or
digital media (DVDs, VCDs) displayed on the television screen, including humming,
singing, and dancing. Both Lum and Campbell recognized the children’s ability to
identify characters and personalities in the shows they watch, including those related
to the music industry. Campbell’s (2010) analysis of her interviews found that “their
awareness of music’s entertainment value was already in full bloom in the fifth
grade” (p. 75). She concluded that these “were prime examples of the media’s power
[over] them” (Campbell, 2010, p. 75).
One study investigated children's learning and memory of music through
television shows with repeated musical content (McGuire, 2002). When watching
television without active engagement provided by an adult or friend, McGuire’s
study found that children could not recall music that was included repeatedly in an
educational program when they heard the music in another setting. The author
concluded that children listening passively to music on television programs did not
develop a connection to the music presented. “Although children may prefer to listen
to songs from electronic sources, perhaps direct instruction where students and
teachers are able to interact with each other is necessary in order for observable
music learning to occur” (McGuire, 2002, p. 240).
18
Sources of influence: Live singing. Despite the presence of technology and
the ease in which it provides access to music, there remain opportunities for children
to hear music performed in formal or informal live settings. Children are raised in
environments that may involve a wide range of live musical experiences. The
surrounding family members may be supporters of professional live music, actively
involved in community or church music programs, or they may be professional or
amateur musicians themselves. School music programs vary in the content offered to
students, but may include singing as one component. There are also opportunities for
children to hear informal music making from friends or others in the neighborhood
or surrounding community. Previous research has focused on the children’s musical
experiences with their parents and family (Custodero, Britto, & Brooks-Gunn, 2003;
Custodero & Johnson-Green, 2003; Gibson, 2009; Ilari & Sundara, 2009; Welch,
1994, 1998), students’ attitudes towards singing in the educational environment
(Hylton, 1981; Kennedy, 2002; Mizener, 1993; Rutkowski, 1996), and children’s
perceptions of music in community choral programs (Ayling & Johnston, 2005;
Barrett & Smigiel, 2007). This section shares the outcomes of research on live
singing influences that support the goal of this study.
Children singing with their parents. The experience of singing can help
establish a connection between parent(s) and their child. These singing experiences
vary between families, as parents tend to utilize singing in a way that is comfortable
to them. Studies on these musical interactions report the frequency of singing, the
19
ways that singing is utilized, and the type of repertoire used. Often, the focus of the
research is the adult and their role in this musical interaction, and not the outcomes
for the child. Custodero and Johnson-Green’s (2003) survey of 2,250 families found
that over two thirds of respondents had one parent sing to their child every day,
while only 6% said they did not sing. Through an analysis of various parental
characteristics, one conclusion of the study “indicated that musically experienced
parents were more likely to play and sing music for their children” (Custodero &
Johnson-Green, 2003, p. 107). They also concluded that parents with instrumental
music backgrounds (non-singing) were more likely to play recordings of music for
their children. In a similar study of a different population, Custodero et al. (2003)
determined a rate of “60% engagement in some sort of musical activity [between
parents] and young children on a daily basis” (p. 568). These outcomes show a
similarity in percentages of daily musical activity in the family setting. While the
second study does not focus specifically on singing, it is useful to know how often
families engage their children in musical activity at a young age.
Gembris and Davidson (2002) support parental involvement in a child’s
musical life, as it develops “the emotional communication between parents and child
and may [increase] the parent’s interest in their own musical activity, which in turn
may produce greater attention to the musical development of their child” (p. 26).
Welch’s (1994) study which assessed children’s singing using tasks in common
school music curriculums took into account the musical homes of the subjects.
20
“Homes which provide … examination of musical grammars, often mediated by a
classically-trained music specialist [such as a parent], are likely to create different
musical understandings and appreciation than homes where music is a more
‘passive’ (listening) activity” (Welch, 1994, p. 9). The differences in how parents
engage their children in music and the choice of music to which they expose their
children makes further research on this topic important if we are to be informed on
the nature of those experiences.
The child’s perception of music during the early development period is a
large area of research interest. During the first year of life, a child recognizes the
presence of music over other sounds in the environment, and “turns towards the
source of the sound stimulus often with an unmistakable expression of astonishment”
(Moog, 1976, p. 53). Moog’s (1976) research on musical development found that the
amount of music in the child’s environment does not necessarily play a large role in
perception, yet he did conclude that the child is attracted to the “sensuously beautiful
sound” of music (p. 55). In a study measuring preference between unaccompanied
and accompanied singing among infants, Ilari and Sundara (2009) determined that
preference is measured by the attention a child gives to the stimulus. Their research
results revealed an overall preference for unaccompanied singing during the first
year of a child’s life. “The unaccompanied version was perhaps more appealing
because of its melodic salience … and it is possible that infants find it difficult to
retrieve the melody from hetero-phonic accompaniments” (Ilari & Sundara, 2009, p.
21
367). These studies illuminate an infant’s responses to music, although true
perception by an infant of what they are listening to is not measurable.
The child’s interest in singing may come from as a supplement to their
language acquisition. Piaget and Inhelder (1969) define a child’s language
development from single words to “a gradual acquisition of grammatical structures”
as taking place between year 2 and 4 (p. 85). This acquisition is largely achieved
through imitation. Moog’s (1976) research confirms similar capabilities in singing,
as the ability to sing back songs or musical phrases through imitation also develops
between year 2 and 4.
Singing has an advantage over instrumental music making, as it can be
performed without the technical understanding of learning an instrument. Singing is
a musical activity in which children engage naturally, without formal instruction.
However, “singing is a learned behavior, a skill governed by a psychomotor process”
(Phillips, 1996, p. 76). The synthesis of text and melody can be challenging to a
child. Welch’s study of singing ability in children aged 5 to 7 years found that
subjects were able to sing the words of two age-appropriate songs more accurately
than the song pitches, when tested during each year of the longitudinal study. Welch
(1998) concluded that children “enter compulsory schooling with an ability to learn
the words of songs…. This linguistic competence would appear to be significantly in
advance of their ability to learn the melodic contour and interval size of the same
songs” (p. 70). He recommended that “teachers may have greater success in fostering
22
song singing development if these elements [words and pitch] are deconstructed and
taught separately prior to their formal combination as a ‘song’” (Welch, 1998, p. 71).
When singing involves text, as it most often tends to do, children have the
opportunity to develop both musical and language skills through their participation.
Singing in an educational environment. There is a strong research focus on
student experiences of singing in educational settings. Research on students in
primary (Mizener, 1993; Rutkowski, 1996), intermediate (Kennedy, 2002) and
secondary (Hylton, 1981) grades shares the perceptions of singing in school choral
ensembles. The outcome of these studies informs music educators about student
attitude and interests in singing as a part of the school music program. For some
students, the school provides the primary musical experience in their lives, beyond
informal music-making.
Survey design was the common research method for three studies involving
students in school choral programs. These studies aimed to discover the myriad of
factors that influence students’ perceptions of singing activities. An overall similarity
between these researchers was a focus on positive or negative attitudes towards
singing and the sources of these attitudes. The range of age groups in these studies
indicates a research interest for all levels of youth singers. Various studies indicate
that children of various grade levels respond positively to singing activities.
Mizener’s (1993) survey of students in grades 3 to 6 agrees that “most students like
singing under certain circumstances” (p. 241). The younger study participants
23
identified the act of singing with a songbook in school to be acceptable, yet singing
along with the radio was favored by participants in grade 6. Mizener (1993)
suggested that “song repertoire in the music classroom … chosen without regard to
age- and grade-appropriateness, may contribute to negative attitudes toward singing”
(p. 241). He encouraged the inclusion of high-quality arrangements of more popular
music that may entice students to continue singing as they grow older. Rutkowski
(1996) studied the use of small group and individual singing opportunities in school,
as opposed to full group opportunities, and its impact on kindergarten children’s
musical aptitude. She “recommended that teachers include individual/small-group
singing activities in their music lessons…. It seems that these techniques are also
effective when applied in the traditional large-group classroom setting” (p. 363).
While these studies focused on in-school singing experiences, Mizener (1993) found
that two demographics, girls and younger children, “indicated a stronger perception
that family members encouraged their singing efforts and took part in singing
activities with them” (p. 243). The out-of-school encouragement provides an
additional voice beyond the school music teacher or director, which can impact the
student’s emotional relationship with singing (Gembris & Davidson, 2002).
Studies by Hylton (1981) and Kennedy (2002) used survey research and
interviews to learn about the choral experience for adolescents. Their conclusions
yield factors that students attribute to their experience with choral music. Hylton’s
(1981) survey research discovered six dimensions of attitude towards choral singing
24
in high school students. These dimensions – achievement, spiritualistic, musical-
artistic, communicative, psychological, and integrative – were described as “multi-
dimensional, [indicating] multiple outcomes of meaningful music education
experiences for participants” of choral music (Hylton, 1981, p. 301). Strengthened by
a majority of positive responses to the act of choral singing in high school, Hylton
(1981) concluded that “the potential apparently exists for choral programs to provide
meaningful experiences for high school students” (p. 301).
Kennedy (2002) interpreted four themes from interviews with middle school
boys' singing in a mixed chorus program at school. She acknowledged that her
themes – “motivation to join the choir and to remain; acquisition of musical skills,
knowledge, and attitudes; repertoire considerations; and perception of the
preferences and benefits of the choral experience” (Kennedy, 2002, pp. 28-29) –
support aspects in five of Hylton’s dimensions. Kennedy (2002) concludes that
“junior high boys have definite opinions not only on their preferred activities in choir
but also on the benefits they receive through belonging” (p. 35). The acquisition of
musical knowledge was an important outcome of participating for these growing
boys, and their teacher was recognized for providing information to assist in music
literacy. Additional support for this singing population is valuable for maintaining
interest throughout the voice change. Kennedy (2002) concluded that “particularly
significant [to this population] are the power of friends to assist males in overcoming
stereotypical hurdles to join junior high choirs, the continuing influence of parents in
25
the lives of adolescents, and the prominent role of the choral teacher in the recruiting
of male choristers” (p. 30). These extra-musical factors supplement the positive
outcomes that occur from musical activity.
Singing in community choral programs. Besides the home and the school,
children may experience singing in the community. This might involve a range of
settings such as church, other religious institutions, scouts, park recreation programs,
after-school programs, and other settings which make this opportunity available. The
following two studies present research on community music programs and how
children perceive this setting for their own musical pursuits.
Ayling and Johnston (2005) surveyed 39 high school choral singers as they
entered college, to ask if they planned to continue singing choral music. Only one
third of the subjects said they enrolled in a college choral ensemble, yet “72%
reported they either will or possibly may participate in choral singing beyond
college” (Ayling & Johnston, 2005, p. 34). Church and community choirs were the
most likely settings for future singing opportunities, according to this study
population. The results indicated that choral music was considered a valuable life
activity for these singers, and community choral programs may provide an
opportunity to return to singing in later stages of life.
In a study of four youth arts programs – chorus, orchestra, theater, and band –
in Australia, Barrett and Smigiel (2007) noted themes that made community music
programs stand out from school programs. The subjects described a “’unity of
26
purpose’ amongst participants … [which] contrasted their experience in the music
site with that of the school” (Barrett & Smigiel, 2007, p. 43). The subjects described
their director and fellow musicians in their community arts program as unified in
their goals and professionalism, “because we are doing professional jobs” (Barrett &
Smigiel, 2007, p. 45). This was in contrast with the school music program which
some found to be nothing more than a requirement to graduate. They also described a
sense of family and community in their out-of-school program, stressing their close
relationship with the arts director and his/her dedication to the success of the
program. The accounts of these children suggest that community arts programs
provide them with a musical experience that may be preferred to their school music
program.
Children’s Feelings toward their Musical Experiences
Music educators can benefit from knowing about their students' feelings and
attitudes when engaging in music activities, both performing and listening. It is
important that children find meaning in their musical experiences, particularly as
they are developing their interests in music. Hylton (1981) stated that “the value of
musical experiences for individuals is intimately connected with their perceptions of
the meaning of such experiences” (p. 288). The feelings which children experience
in their musical activities can contribute to their perception of meaning, and also to
the musical attitudes that forms as a result. Research examining the feelings that
27
children associate with music and the musical attitudes that develop from these
feelings and experiences is reviewed in the next paragraph.
As previously reported, literature on student’s perceptions of singing in an
educational environment is well documented. It is suggested, however, that the
musical cultures of children are often different in the school setting than in their lives
outside of school. There has been some debate on the relevancy of the types of music
programs in schools. Wapnick’s (1976) study concluded that “a major controversy in
music education has arisen as to whether or not teachers should influence the
[musical] attitudes, and hence values, of their students.” (p. 15). He was referring to
the music educator’s choice of music to be studied in the classroom, and how this
choice is determined. This controversy still rings true today, as children access
musical content through mediums other than their music teacher. They arrive at
music class or rehearsal with an understanding of their own music and preconceived
notions of any music that they perceive as not fitting into their lives (Campbell,
2010). Wapnick's research further implied that “the attitudes and values a student
brings to the classroom may limit his or her educational and musical development”
(Wapnick, 1976, p. 16). The question remains whether the music educator is
responsible for changing an individual’s musical attitude, or rather focusing solely
on providing sound instruction technique that allows the child to make informed
decisions about his/her choices in music (Madsen, 1973).
28
Construct of attitude. The musical experiences of children have an impact
on their musical attitudes. In this case, a clearer definition of attitude will benefit the
argument. Cutietta (1992) defined attitude as “anything that can be conceptualized or
experienced … [into] a firmly held mental network of beliefs, feelings, and values”
(p. 295-296). There is a separation between the concept and experience, so that an
individual can process thoughts into an attitude. Price’s (1986) definition of attitude
highlights this separation, stating that attitude is “a learned predisposition reflecting
the way one feels about a subject while not in the presence of that subject” (p. 152-
153). He cautions the possibility of error in recalling a past memory, due to a
misinterpretation of the memory. Therefore, research into musical attitude must take
care to ensure that the instrument triggers the proper memories for the subject to
recall.
In order for this mental network of musical attitudes to develop, a child must
participate in musical events that challenge their construct of beliefs, feelings, and
values, and then reflect upon them afterwards. A profound musical event will “exert
a directive and dynamic influence on the individual’s perception and response … to
all situations with which it is related” (Cutietta, 1992, pp. 295-296). Embedded in
this is an element of action and response, as the individual must experience a musical
phenomenon before developing the musical attitude. This experience can take the
form of a large scale concert performance, or an event as simple as splitting a pair of
headphones to listen to music on an iPod simultaneously with a friend (Bickford,
29
2011). The impact of the experience is unique to the individual. This creates an
additional area of research interest, focusing on the methods of measuring individual
music attitudes.
Attitude measurement. The measurement of music attitude presents a
challenge to researchers. Studies constructed around music topics, such as the
subject’s interest in a particular style of music, use a measured attitude scale (Price,
1986). “The attitude scale depends on the examinee's candid answers to the items,
since there is no right or wrong answer” (Shaw and Tomcala, 1976, p. 74). Rather,
the subjects reveal their musical attitude by indicating their preference of one item
over another. Thurstone’s (1928) early discussion of the attitude variable said “the
first requirement is that … one can speak of [attitude] in terms of ‘more’ and ‘less’,
according to a specified or implied continuum along which the measurement is to
take place” (p. 536). There is a distinction between aural and verbal/written tests
used in music attitude studies. In verbal/written studies, there is a lack of music
stimuli, as the subject must speak or write about music away from the music itself
(Bullock, 1973). This creates the distance necessary for an evaluation of musical
attitude (Price, 1986).
Children’s feelings toward music. Children’s feelings toward music, both in
their active participation and in their listening experiences, may contribute to their
overall formation of musical attitude. A study soliciting written responses by sixth
and seventh grade students on their feelings toward the value of music education
30
yielded mixed responses (McDowell, 2002). Those that felt positive feelings from
music described it as being fun, as something that provided enjoyment, and as
something with which they or their peers wanted to be involved. Some of the
negative responses focused specifically on the required songs which they did not
want to sing, particularly in front of their peers. Of the almost 900 students involved
in the study, the majority of responses (742) were in support of music programs. Of
the negative responses (98), only three students participated in available school
music ensembles. It can be concluded that active participation in a music ensemble,
or knowledge of the benefits for the school community, led to positive feelings
toward music in this study population.
With regard to the act of listening to music, a study by Tarrant, North, and
Hargreave (2000) compared English and American adolescents and their reasons for
listening to music. The researchers found similar outcomes between populations
about the feelings associated with listening to music, which can be categorized into
three areas. Tarrant et al. (2000) identified positive reasons why the subjects listen to
music, such as to “enjoy music, be creative, and express emotions” (p. 169). The
subjects described feelings that indicate social pressures to listen to music, such as
“to be popular with others, to please friends, and to create an image for the self”
(Tarrant et al., 2000, p. 169). Lastly, the subjects showed negative feelings that led
them to listen to music, such as “to relieve boredom, to help get through difficult
times, to relieve tension/stress, and to reduce loneliness” (Tarrant et al., 2000, p.
31
169). The responses provided by the study subjects refer to the feelings that lead to
the activity of listening. Although the feelings described were not the result of
listening to music, it can be concluded that the subjects used music listening as a way
to either enhance positive feelings, or alleviate negative feelings. They were aware of
the effect that their listening experience would have on them, and used music as a
way to regulate mood.
Conclusion
The research literature reviewed in this chapter provides a background to this
study of children's singing influences, the mediums through which they experience
those influences and their feelings when singing or listening to singing. The literature
identifies the ever-expanding mediums through which children access the singing
influences that impact them. Despite this increased access to singing through
technology, the literature shows that live singing in family, school and community
settings continues to impact and influence children. Finally, various studies indicate
the feelings children experience in making or listening to music, the development of
attitude to music, and the meanings children find in music. Considering the number
of community choral programs identified nationwide on the ACDA website
(choralnet.org), it is evident that many children are active in choral singing
throughout the United States at the present time. As choral directors, it is important
for us to know the primary singing influences on the children in our choirs, in order
to better understand their musical cultures. By learning how children perceive their
32
singing experiences, we may better understand what motivates them to continue
singing and we may also become more aware of their needs in the choral experience.

33
Chapter 3: Methodology
Introduction
This exploratory, descriptive study involved survey research, with the results
being described in narrative style. It aimed to create a snapshot of the perceptions of
children who participate in community choral programs regarding their singing
influences, the settings and mediums through which they experience those
influences, and the feelings they experience in singing or listening to singing. An
exploratory study allows for an initial investigation of an area of research. A set of
questions was designed to find out a range of perceptions children have related to
their singing experiences. The line of questioning in the survey was influenced by
Campbell (2010) and her goal of “knowing children, their music, and the meaning of
their musical behaviors, thoughts, and interests” (p. 4). Campbell’s work was also
helpful in determining how to choose questions for the appropriate child
development level. This chapter identifies the methodology used to complete this
research study. The first section includes the characteristics of the sample, with
details on how participants were recruited or excluded and the reasons behind these
decisions. This section also presents demographical information on the study
participants. The next section includes information on the study design, including a
description of the research instrument and the study procedure. The final section
discusses the data analysis procedures.

34
Sample
Target population. This investigation involved a sample of convenience.
The demographic of the study participants included children enrolled in community
choral programs in a large city in California, being in close geographical proximity
to the location of the researcher. Research sites were sourced through a professional
networking site for the global online choral community, ChoralNet.org. This site is
maintained and operated by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). It
provides singers from around the world an opportunity to discover choral ensembles
in a specific location through a comprehensive online database. From this website,
the researcher identified eight children’s choral programs in one city of California.
All these programs functioned as a community ensemble, and were not affiliated to a
school or religious institution. It was assumed, according to common practice, that
participants were accepted into the chorus programs either through an application
process, audition, or by invitation. Choral directors from each of the eight programs
were contacted with requests to conduct the study in their choirs.
Recruitment procedure. The recruitment procedure involved contacting the
eight directors/administrators of each ensemble by phone, to identify the research
study and request the use of rehearsal time for survey administration. A script was
used for this communication (see Appendix A). Four of the eight persons contacted
agreed to facilitate the researcher's access to the children during rehearsal time. It
was decided that the chorus whose director responded first would be assigned to a
35
pilot study, allowing the researcher to test and refine the administrative procedures
and the suitability of the survey instrument before embarking on the study. Three
more directors responded positively and their choruses were all included in the study.
Mutually agreeable dates and times were arranged and confirmed. The scheduling
process took place during the months of March and April in 2011. Of the remaining
four choruses that were contacted, one director did not respond to the communication
and three declined permission due to preparations for end-of-season concerts.
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval required that children and
parents receive information forms before participating. The information forms
identified the researcher, described the study, and explained the child’s role as a
study participant. Due to the exempt classification from IRB, the forms were not
required to be signed or returned. To expedite the process of informing parents, the
researcher e-mailed information sheets to each chorus administrator, who forwarded
the information sheets to parents. This information sheet was also distributed in hard
copy to parents as their children arrived at rehearsal (see Appendix B, C, and D).
After the researcher and relevant choral director had agreed to a specific time
for meeting with the children, the researcher attended the assigned rehearsal session.
The researcher began by informing the children of the purpose and procedures of the
study according to a script (see Appendix E). Information sheets (child and youth)
were distributed to the children. The option of not participating or withdrawing was
36
explained, and non-participating children were asked to study their vocal scores as an
alternative to participation.
Inclusion criteria. The inclusion criterion was children participating in
community choral programs in one selected city of California that were not affiliated
with a school or religious institution. The reasoning behind this criterion was to
narrow the research focus to children in choruses outside of a traditional school or
religious choral ensemble.
Exclusion criteria. The first exclusion criterion was children younger than 8
years or older than 15 years of age. The reason for this exclusion was that the study
focused on children in the pre-adolescence stage, along with those in the earlier
adolescent stage of development. In his discussion of the adolescent singer, Phillips
(1996) details the physiological and psychological changes that children experience
as they enter adolescence. School music programs often suffer around this age, as
previously eager singers become interested in sports and other available activities.
He concludes that the “most important consideration is that adolescents [singers]
must be kept singing throughout [these] years” (Phillips, 1996, p. 76). Through this
study, the researcher hopes to learn more about the interests of singers before they
enter the adolescent stage and during their early adolescence.
The second exclusion criterion was any child not speaking, reading, and
writing English proficiently, as there would be no certainty that any data provided by
these children would be reliable. Choral directors were required to identify children
37
in this category and, as none were identified, no surveys needed to be discarded for
this reason.
Study participants. The total number of individual participants from the
three participating choruses was 90. Data from all participants was combined and
analyzed for the results. The demographical characteristics of study participants are
included in Table 1 below. To protect anonymity, no further details about the
ensembles and participants are included.
Table 1

Demographical characteristics of study participants
Number of participants Age Range Female Male
Ens. A 39 9-14 31 8
Ens. B 33 8-11 23 10
Ens. C 18 * 11-15 14 2
* Two participants did not identify gender

Study Design
This research took the form of an exploratory, descriptive study. Data was
collected with a survey instrument, a written survey, which was designed to provide
data that would answer the research question. A pilot study and input from
colleagues led to the final version of the instrument. As the surveys were anonymous
and the study was considered to be of minimal risk, exempt status was assigned from
IRB. The only demographical questions were age (in order to determine if they fit
38
the exclusion criteria) and gender (in case of future analysis of data with an interest
in gender effect). Data within each section of the survey were categorized. Analysis
of trends and disparities was conducted that were described in narrative style.
Research instrument. The research instrument used in this study was a
written survey with seven questions (see Appendix F). The expected timeframe for
participant completion was 10 minutes or less. Questions were based on the
interviews conducted by Campbell (2010), described in her work, Songs in their
Heads. The questionnaire was a form of participant-construct survey meant to
“understand how respondents structure their social and physical worlds” (Phelps,
Sadoff, Warburton, & Ferrara, 2005, p. 98). By identifying singing influences and
the sources of the influences, participants offered a view into their musical worlds by
“delineating all the entities that comprise a particular category of things” (Phelps et
al., 2005, p. 98). There are three areas of focus for the survey questions, which
address the primary research questions.
 Research Question 1: Items #1 and #3 asked the participants to identify the
mediums through which they listen to singing, by circling one of the options
provided, or adding a different medium.
 Research Question 2: Items #2 and #4 asked the participants to identify their
primary vocal influences through electronic mediums and also in live
settings. Additionally, item #5 asked the participants to identify their
strongest influence and the medium in which they experienced this.
39
 Research Question 3: Items #6 and #7 allowed the participants to reflect on
their personal feelings when singing and when listening to singing.
The questionnaire included a combination of multiple choice and open-ended
responses. The questions about the participants’ influences modified the concept of
an attitude scale (Price, 1986), utilizing a verbal (written) test of attitude that
“reflects the way one feels about a subject while not in the presence of that subject”
(pp. 152-153). The questionnaire invited participants to identify singers they "like
the most." The participants were also asked to identify with their own musical
attitude, pertaining to their personal feelings when singing and listening to singing.
Procedure. On the date of each survey administration, the researcher arrived
at the rehearsal locations at the scheduled time. At the start of the rehearsal, the
choral director introduced the researcher to the singers. Once the recruitment
procedures were completed (as described earlier in this chapter), the researcher used
a predetermined script to give directions for survey completion (see Appendix E). It
was emphasized that, in order to protect the privacy of the participants, the surveys
must be completed anonymously. The participants were given the opportunity to ask
questions, and these were answered aloud for all to hear.
The researcher distributed surveys and pencils and the participants were
signaled to begin. The choral director remained at a side of the room and was unable
to see the survey responses or assist in the administration. Any questions asked
during the survey administration were answered directly to the participant. After
40
completion, the surveys were collected and the researcher left the room. The
participants were allowed to keep the music-themed pencil as a gift.
The data was recorded on a spreadsheet and stored on a password-protected
personal computer. To protect confidentiality, only the researcher and faculty adviser
had access to the data. Completed surveys were destroyed after digital transference
of the data.
Pilot study. As explained earlier, the first chorus whose director responded
positively was assigned to a pilot study that allowed the researcher to test the
administrative procedures and suitability of the survey instrument. Valuable
information about the procedure and survey questions is discussed here.
Modifications to procedure after completion of the pilot study. After the
pilot study, administrative procedures were examined and streamlined. It was found
to be more productive to administer the survey at the start of the rehearsal period or
during a break period, rather than disrupting the rehearsal proceedings. The
researcher faced the challenge of participants asking questions during the completion
of the survey and was aware of the need to refrain from offering leading responses to
those questions. Several participants asked if their answer was appropriate for the
question. The standard answer was that whatever the participant thought was correct,
was what should be written. The participants in the pilot spanned the entire permitted
age range, and all were capable of completing the survey in the allotted timeframe.
41
Taking less than ten minutes for completion, the expected time frame for the
administration of the survey was confirmed.
Modifications to instrument after completion of the pilot study. Based on
questions posed by the participants in the pilot study, and suggestions from advisors
and colleagues, several changes were made to the survey. These changes are
identified below:
 Item #1 – The wording ‘In the car’ was changed to ‘Car sound system’. The
question asks for electronic devices that are used for listening. The former
wording identifies a place.
 Items #3 and #5 – The wording ‘In real life’ was changed to ‘live’. This was
a clarification question posed by several participants during the pilot study.
One can listen to singing on the radio and consider themselves to be listening
in real life.
 Since it posed no further risk to the participants, a prompt was added to
identify gender that might provide additional data for any future extension of
the analysis.
Analysis Design
The analysis of the research data involved some numerical analysis of
measures, some categorization of data, and narrative description of results. The
singing influences and mediums for listening were quantified. The remaining data
pertaining to feelings associated with singing and listening to singing, are discussed
42
in narrative style describing trends and disparities that emerge from the data.
Throughout the analysis, the research questions which guided the study were
addressed. Projective techniques (Phelps et al., 2005) were necessary to further
understand the musical behaviors of participants beyond the reported data.
It is important to note that an assumption is being made that participants
reported their perceptions honestly and accurately. It would be impossible for the
researcher to verify these responses. Nevertheless, the setting was designed to allow
participants to complete the survey in an unhurried fashion, offering them plenty of
time to complete it. Furthermore, the choral director was asked to stand out of visual
range of the participant responses, in order to avoid any influence or coercion. The
participants were also reassured that the directors would not be given access to the
surveys at any time and that surveys would be anonymous.
The study was not conducted with any particular bias. While the researcher
had imagined the types of responses participants might give, he made a point of
being unbiased in approaching the results. He was open to whatever answers the
participants might provide and attempted to report these results without any
prejudice.
Conclusion
This chapter provided information on the design of this exploratory study.
The description of the sample included information on the target population, the
recruitment procedure, the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and demographical
43
information on the study participants. The study design section described the
research instrument, the procedure, the pilot study, and the modifications made as a
result of the pilot study. Lastly, the analysis design section described the researcher’s
method for data analysis.

44
Chapter 4: Results
Introduction
This chapter presents the data analysis of this investigation. A survey was
administered to 90 children, ages 8 to 15 years, who were active members of three
community chorus programs in a large city in California. The survey included seven
questions stated in language appropriate for children of this age group. The questions
were designed to address the study’s three research questions:
1. What are young choral singer’s perceptions of their primary vocal
influences?
2. In what settings or through what mediums are these influences taking
place?
3. What are young choral singer’s perceptions of their feelings when singing
or listening to singing?
Research Question 1
What are young choral singer’s perceptions of their primary vocal influences?
The first research question aimed to discover singers that are perceived as
influential to the participants. To address this question, three open-ended items on
the survey allowed participants to think through their singing influences in different
ways. Participants were asked to identify the singers to whom they most like
listening on electronic devices and then they were asked the same question
pertaining to live settings. Participants were not given a limit to how many singers
45
they could identify. The third item concerning musical influence included more
direct language. It asked participants to name the one singer they liked the most. The
following sub-sections identify the results of this portion of the survey. The full list
of data pertaining to this research question is included as Appendix G.
Influences from electronic devices. Item #1 asked participants to identify
the types of electronic devices they used for listening to singing, and the results are
reported later in this chapter. Item #2 was designed to elicit participant reports on
their perceived singing influences through those electronic devices. In answering the
question "Who are the singers you most like listening to on the electronic device(s)
you circled above?" responses varied from naming an individual, to a group, to a
style, to a composer/choral director, to a nationality of music. The researcher
therefore assigned responses into one of these five categories. Table 2 identifies the
number of responses pertaining to each of these categories, with the understanding
that some participants provided more than one response to the question.
Table 2

Categories for singing influences using electronic device

Singer/rapper names 139
Ensembles/bands 70
Styles/nationalities of music 25
Composers/choral directors 8
Miscellaneous 14
46
Table 3 shares the specific answers which participants gave in reporting the
one singer to whom they most like listening when using an electronic device. The
answers are divided into the same categories as Table 2, and listed in order of
frequency. The number of times cited is included in parentheses. If there is no
numerical value, the response was cited by a single participant. There were 11 non-
responders to this item on the survey. When identifying singing influences from an
electronic device, 62 of the 68 female participants and 17 of the 20 male participants
provided at least one singing influence.
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Table 3

Singing influences via electronic devices
Singer/rapper names Taylor Swift (16), Katy Perry (13),
Selena Gomez (9), Lady Gaga (6), Kesha (5),
Rihanna (5), Adele (4), Miley Cyrus (4),
Bruno Mars (4), Justin Bieber (3), Eminem (3), Elton
John (3), Cee Lo Green (2), Michael Jackson (2),
Alicia Keys (2), Sean Kingston (2), Pitbull (2),
Sting (2), Chris Tomlin (2), Kanye West (2), Christina
Aguilera, Julie Andrews, B.O. B, Bono, Colbie Caillat,
Michael Carreon, Johnny Cash, Steven Curtis
Chapman, Charlotte Church, Eric Clapton, Kelly
Clarkson, Nat King Cole, Taio Cruz, Jason DeRulo,
Celine Dion, Enya, Flo Rida, Edita
Gruberova, Billie Holiday, Jennifer Hudson, Jay-Z,
Jessie J, Stephen Jerzak, Billy Joel, Carole King,
Chuck King, Avril Lavigne, Leona Lewis, Nicki
Minaj, Emily Osment, Christina Perri, Justin Posey, AJ
Rafael, Kristi Salas, Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears,
James Taylor, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Ornella
Vanoni, Jiro Wang, Dionne Warwick, Phil Wickham,
Paul Wilbur, Aaron Yan, Dad

Ensemble/band The Beatles (7), Glee Cast (4), Big Time Rush (3),
Black-Eyed Peas (3), Green Day (2),
Jonas Brothers (2), Muse (2), Owl City (2), Queen (2),
ABBA, Aly & Aj/78 Violet, The Betas, Boyz 2 Men,
Big Bang, Bon Jovi, Camera Obscura, The Dickies,
The Eagles, Earth Wind and Fire, Fahrenheit, Far East
Movement, Florence and the Machine, Ghostland
Observatory, Jackson Five, The Killers, Los Angeles
Philharmonic, Led Zeppelin, Lemonade Mouth, Local
natives, LMFAO, Maroon 5, MGMT, Mumford &
Sons, Neon Trees, Paranorm, Pink Martini, The Police,
Raconteurs, Sleigh Bells, She and Him, Spinners,
Steely Dan, Streetlight Manifesto, Sugar Hill Gang,
Teddy Bears, Toto, Train, Two Door Cinema Club,
U2, Vampire Weekend, Own choral ensemble

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Table 3 (Continued)

Styles/nationalities of music Pop (6), Rock (3), Classical (3), Christian (2),
Country (2), Asian Boy Bands, Chinese singing, Jazz,
Korean Pop, Musical theater, Opera, Russian music,
Techno

Composers/choral directors John Rutter (3), Bach, Beethoven, Gustavo Dudamel,
Brad Fidiel, Jerry Goldsmith, John Massari, Puccini

Miscellaneous Fire Burning (song title), Recordings my friends make,
Mostly orchestral music (not singing), Nothing that’s
mainstream, Lots of different music, High and low
singing, Just as long as the music is good, Anyone
young, Any singer, Jazz singers, Music scores for
movies, Aor 1 (radio station), The Fish (radio station),
Classical KUSC (radio station)

Influences from live sources. Item # 3 pertained to singers heard in live
settings, the results being presented later in this chapter. Item #4 asked the
participants "Who are the singers you most like listening to in the places circled
above?" Reports given by participants were placed into six categories: those
indicating family or friends; those indicating professional singers; those indicating
ensembles or bands; those indicating teachers/choral directors; those giving general
comments pertaining to singers and those indicating settings. Table 4 presents the
number of responses pertaining to each of these categories.
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Table 4

Categories for singing influences from live setting
Family/Friends 49
Professional singers 17
Ensembles/bands 41
Teachers/choral directors 4
Miscellaneous 9
Settings 9

Table 5 provides the specific live singing influences which the participants
identified, divided into the same categories as Table 4. The researcher carefully
investigated all names identified in the data. Professional musicians were identified
through conducting on-line searches. Where obvious, names that included
specification of personal connections were restricted to the generic terms (e.g.
mother, own choral director) to protect anonymity. There were 17 non-responders to
this item on the survey. When identifying singing influences in a live setting, 57 of
the 68 female participants and 17 of the 20 male participants provided at least one
singing influence.
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Table 5

Singing influences via live settings
Family/friends Friend(s) (28), Sister (7), Mother (4), Father (3),
Self (3), Brother (2), Family (2)

Professional singers Miley Cyrus (2), Carole King (2), Elvis Presley (2),
Christina Aguilera, Julie Andrews, Anita Baker, Selena
Gomez, Kesha, Demi Lovato, Puccini, Kenny Rodgers,
Taylor Swift, James Taylor, Paul Wilbur

Ensembles/bands Own choral ensemble (20), Church choir (7),
School chorus (4), Band at home, Fahrenheit, Glee
Cast, Jonas Brothers, The Killers, She & Him, Snow
Patrol, Streetlight Manifesto, U2, Vampire Weekend

Teacher/choral directors Music teacher (3), Own choral director

Miscellaneous Anyone who sings an interesting song and sings it
fairly well, Anything that's great, Any types of singers
as long as they are good, Anybody, High singers and
low singers, Musicians like me, Favorite bands,
Korean Pop, Rock and Roll

Settings Concert (2), Home (2), School (2), Church,
Neighborhood, Theater group

Primary vocal influences. Item #5 asked the participants to identify the one
singer they like the most and to state how they had heard the person sing. The
following tables share analysis of the participants' primary singing influences. In
most cases, participants listed one influence. Table 6 presents categories of responses
generated for item #5, which closely mirror categories from previous tables. These
include professional singers, family/friends, ensembles/bands, and composers/choral
directors. The frequency of responses in each category is presented. For this table,
51
the categories were counted each time an influence was identified in order to
determine the total number in each category.
Table 6

Categories for primary singing influences
Professionals 54
Family/friends 10
Ensembles/bands 6
Composers/choral directors 3

Table 7 provides the specific primary singing influences which the
participants gave when responding to item #5 on the survey. The answers are divided
into the same categories as Table 6, and listed in order of frequency. Once again, the
researcher carefully investigated all names identified in the data. Professional
musicians were identified through conducting on-line searches. Where obvious,
names with personal connections were restricted to the generic terms (e.g. mother,
own choral director) to protect anonymity. There were 14 non-responders to this item
on the survey. When identifying their primary singing influence, 60 of the 68 female
participants, and 16 of the 20 male participants provided at least one singing
influence.

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Table 7

Primary singing influences
Professionals Katy Perry (6), Selena Gomez (4), Taylor Swift (4),
Justin Bieber (2), Taio Cruz (2), Miley Cyrus (2), Lady
Gaga (2), Adele, Christina Aguilera, Julie Andrews,
Michael Carreon, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Charlotte
Church, Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Eminem, Brandon
Flowers, Edita Gruberova, IU, Sean Kingston, Jennifer
Lopez, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Judy Garland, Cee
Lo Green, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Kesha, Alicia
Keys, Carole King, John Lennon, Rihanna, Kenny
Rodgers, Kristi Salas, Sting, Chris Tomlin, Dionne
Warwick, Kanye West, Paul Wilbur

Family/friends Friends (7), Brother (2), Mother

Ensembles/bands Swell Season (2), Cambridge Singers, Cornell Men’s
Glee Club, Glee Cast, U2

Composers/choral directors Own choral director, Puccini, John Rutter

Research Question 2
In what settings or through what mediums are these influences taking place?
This research question aims to illuminate the settings and mediums that are
utilized by participants when listening to their singing influences. To address this
question, two items of the survey pertained to the electronic devices and the settings
in which participants listen to singing. The participants were asked to identify “all of
the electronic devices you use to listen to people singing” and “all of the places you
hear people singing live.” While it is acknowledged that one can listen to an
electronic device in different settings, the survey specifies that participants identify
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places in which they hear live singing. For each question, participants were given
choices to identify their listening mediums. Additionally, they were given the option
to specify a medium that was not listed. Another item on the survey asked
participants to specify how they heard their primary singing influence by circling
either “heard on electronic device,” or “heard live.” The following sub-sections
identify the results of this portion of the survey.
Electronic devices. Table 8 lists the frequency for which participants
identified their use of electronic devices when listening to singing. Out of 90
responses, 15 participants responded that they use all five of the electronic device
choices provided, 26 identified four electronic devices, 24 identified three, 10
identified two, 15 identified one, and one participant did not specify any of the
devices listed. All female participants, and 19 of 20 male participants, listed at least
one electronic device. Following the prompt for “other” devices, one participant
responded cell phone and one participant responded records/78s.
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Table 8

Frequency of electronic device usage
Car Stereo System 65
Portable Music Player (PMP) 64
Radio 60
Computer 58
TV 37
Cell phone 1
Records/78’s 1

Live singing. Table 9 lists the frequency for which participants identified
settings for listening to live singing. Out of 90 responses, six participants responded
that they listening to live singing in all six settings provided, 13 identified five
settings, 22 identified four, 23 identified three, 14 identified two, 11 participants
identified one, and one participant did not list any settings for listening to live
singing. Similar to the prompt for electronic devices, all female participants, and 19
of 20 male participants, listed at least one live setting. Following the prompt for
“other” settings, one participant responded hotel and one participant responded car.
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Table 9

Frequency of settings identified for listening to live singing
Concert 74
Rehearsal 67
School 56
Church 45
Home 44
Neighborhood 11
Hotel 1
Car 1

Medium for listening to primary singing influences. After the participants
identified their primary singing influences in item #5, participants were asked to give
the medium through which they heard these influences. When listening to their
primary singing influence, 48 participants reported listening to this singer through an
electronic device, and 26 participants reported listening to this singer in a live
setting. There were 16 participants that did not identify the medium in which they
listened to their primary singing influence. In terms of the participants’ gender, 60 of
the 68 female participants and 14 of the 20 male participants identified the medium
for listening to their primary singing influences. When listening to their primary
singing influences, 39 females and seven males reported listening on an electronic
device, while 19 females and seven males reported listening in a live setting.
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Research Question 3
What are young choral singer’s perceptions of their feelings when singing or
listening to singing?
This research question places the participant as the focus in terms of his/her
personal feelings towards singing. The final two items of the survey ask participants
to identify their personal feelings when singing and listening to singing. The
responses ranged from one-word adjectives, to descriptive phrases or sentences about
their experiences with singing.
Feelings associated with listening to singing. This section reports the results
of item #6 of the survey, which asked participants to describe how they feel when
listening to “really great singing”. The researcher organized responses into four
categories: emotions, action or desire response, description of singer, and general
thoughts. These categories characterize the nature of the responses given, as this item
encouraged an open-ended response. When identifying feelings associated with
listening to singing, 67 of the 68 females and all males provided one or more feeling.
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Table 10

Feelings associated with listening to singing
Emotions Happy (22), Amazed (8), Relaxed (8), Great/good (7),
Excited (5), Joyful (5), Alive (2), Inspired (2),
Fantastic, Wonder, Moved, Energetic, Pumped,
Motivated, Intrigued, Emotional, Elegant, Sometimes
reassured, Calm, Chills, Peaceful, Comfortable,
Touched, Soothed, Relieved, Feels nice

Action or desire responses Sing along (14), Dance (7), Express myself (2), Learn
how to be like them (2), Confident to sing along,
Swing with the music, Run around everywhere, Move
with the music, Can do anything, Something to live up
to, Want to be that person, Sing as well as they do, Get
to the level they’re at, Try what they are singing to see
if I can do it, Sleep, Be in the audience jumping up and
down, Search for it online

Descriptions of singer(s) Feel like I was like the person singing (2), Get
inspiration, Get tips, (Singer) takes me on an
adventure, You can feel what the singer’s emotions
are, Glad they spread music, Don’t care about who it
is but cares what the piece is

Miscellaneous Nothing (2), Really into the music, Love listening to
great music, Everything else goes away, If listening
online (it) feels like I am listening live, Like I ate a
really good dessert, Like I’m in heaven, It’s an honor,
In touch with feelings, If stressed I become calm,
Music fits mood, Like the mood of the song, Depends
on the type of music, Not sure, Stuck in my head,
Rings in my ears

Feelings associated with own singing. This section reports the results of
item #7 of the survey, which asked participants to describe how they feel when they
are singing. Similar to the previous section, the researcher organized responses into
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four categories: emotions, action or desire response, description of self, and
recognition of the audience and other singers. These categories characterize the
nature of the responses given, as this item also encouraged an open-ended response.
When identifying feelings associated with their own singing, 67 of 68 females and
all males provided one or more feeling.
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Table 11

Feelings associated with the participants’ own singing
Emotions Happy (31), Great/good (10), Joyful/ Overjoyed (5),
Excited (5), Confident (4), Relaxed (4), Wonderful (3),
Strong (2), Alive (2), Peaceful (2), Calm (2),
Nervous (2), Proud, Nice, Awesome, Mostly cheerful,
Soulful, Free, Exhilarating, Encouraged, Amazing,
Powerful, Passionate, Hard-working, Radiant,
Energized, Emotional, Warm inside, Content, At ease,
Comfortable, Different in a good way, Normal, Fine,
Bored, Tired, Sad, Cold, Scared, Don’t know, Nothing

Action or desire responses Like I am flying over notes, Like getting solos, Project
with strong head voice and energy, Whatever message
I sing about is how I feel, Express my feelings to
others, Express emotions that I cannot when talking,
Like I want to dance, Feel like smiling

Descriptions of self Enjoy/love to sing (9), Feel like I am having fun (3),
Feel the music, Feel emotions the song has, Makes me
feel good, Depends on my mood, Beautiful vibe going
through me, Like I can do anything, Like I’m famous,
Like I’m a celebrity or star, I’m the luckiest ever,
Happy that I can sing anytime I want, Nothing better I
could do at home, Nothing else I’d rather do, Able to
do a lot for my age, A way to be myself, Get really into
the song, Usually satisfied with my voice, I’m average,
Try to be in tune, Catch my mistakes, Feel picky,
Scared of hitting wrong note, Voice strain, Frustrated
at out-of-tune singers, Hope that listener(s) enjoy it,
Spreading my voice to others, Sometimes embarrassed
if singing in front of others

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Summary of Results
This chapter provided an analysis of the results of survey data provided by
ninety children ages 8 - 15 actively participating in community choral programs in a
city in California. The study investigated the perceptions of these young choral
singers on their singing influences, the mediums through which they experienced
those influences, and their feelings associated with singing or listening to singing.
The analysis included compilations of participant responses into categories and a
description of results according to the study’s research questions.

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Chapter 5: Summary, Discussion and Conclusion
Summary
This exploratory, descriptive study used a survey with seven questions aimed
at determining choral children’s perceptions on their primary singing influences and
the settings and mediums in which those influences occur. Additionally, the
children’s perceptions of feelings when singing and listening to singing were
investigated. The study participants were children actively participating in three
community chorus programs in a large urban area of California. The instrument used
to collect this data was an anonymous, written survey, using language appropriate for
the participants. This survey was completed by participants during a single chorus
rehearsal and was administered by the researcher. The data were then compiled and
organized by the researcher. This chapter presents a discussion pertaining to the
results, suggestions regarding implications for the Music Education profession, and
ideas for future research.
Discussion of Outcomes
Analysis of research questions. This section includes a discussion of the
results presented in the previous chapter. The discussion is presented according to
the three research questions which guided this study. The researcher’s analysis
includes connections to relevant literature and conclusions based on the results.
Trends and disparities are discussed in narrative style.
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Research question 1. The results pertaining to young choral singers'
perceptions on their primary vocal influences indicate a strong impact from
professional singers heard through digital mediums over other sources of singing
influence. The majority of responses identified a professional singer/rapper by a
proper or stage name, while few responses identified more personal singing
influences, such as friends and family members. In relation to gender, both female
and male participants identified more primary singing influences from their own
gender, than from the opposite gender. Only one choral director was listed as the
primary singing influence.
The results of this study are supported by literature indicating the variety of
ways in which music is experienced in Western homes. Considering that the
participants identified this primary influence as occurring through the medium of
technology, rather than in a live setting, it is suggested that this scenario might
reflect a relative lack of active music making in many Western homes, contrasted
with a high prevalence of music listening occurring through the use of electronic
devices. Recent studies have found that music making does occur in homes, although
there are wide disparities in frequency and the nature of the music making between
family members. For example, a survey by Custodero and Johnson-Green (2003) of
over 2000 families in the United States found that “fathers and mothers of infants 23
months of age or less sang/played music more frequently” than with toddlers over 24
months (p. 566). The authors concluded that “it is feasible that the communicative
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function of music making in infancy is replaced by parents’ use of linguistic
discourse as children grow older” (Custodero & Johnson-Green, 2003, p. 566).
While this study focused on a younger population than the present research, it does
expose the crossover from musical to linguistic learning activities in American
homes. Gibson’s (2009) ethnographic research on a community of academic parents
found that they used “musical media” to learn new repertoire to share with their
children. She reported found that “fathers chose CDs to play from their own personal
music collection, [while] mothers more often chose ‘children's music’” (Gibson,
2009, p. 178). The use of musical media may support or supplant active music
making, depending on its frequency of use. Adriano’s (2010) research focused
teenager’s use of recorded music in the background while completing homework.
The participants felt that listening to music they enjoy while doing homework helped
them “concentrate and stay focused especially, during tedious, repetitive tasks” (p.
131). Of interest to this study is the fact that 95% of the participants reported the use
of portable media devices, and that the way music is used by the teenage participants
is apparently passive.
Of the reported professional singing influences, it is interesting to note that
nearly half of the singers identified are current, high-profile individual contemporary
singers within a range of popular music styles (pop, singer-songwriter, hip-hop,
R&B, rap, reggaeton, rock, etc.). Most of the other responses include a variety of
professional singers from other styles, such as classical, jazz, classical/pop crossover.
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Some responses included the specification of Christian rock or film along with the
name of the individual. A few of the identified musicians are not contemporary, but
from previous generations (e.g. Elvis Presley, the Beatles). Only a few professional
singing influences were identified using an ensemble or band name, two of which
were professional choral ensembles. In relation to the participants’ gender, there
were singers from each of these categories in both female and male responses.
The results on the influence of popular musicians on these study participants
are consistent with Wright and Finney’s (2010) concept of a “cultural inversion” (p.
228). While these young singers have the opportunity to sing with and listen to the
voices of their peers and choral director, most identified primary singing influences
from outside of their choral ensemble. Wright and Finney (2010) suggest that “the
cultural capital which many pupils wish to acquire in a musical field is that of
contemporary popular music” (p. 229). She argues that the high or elite culture, often
associated with classical music, does not hold the cultural capital that appeals to
young children today.
As mentioned previously, the number of primary singing influences that are
known personally to participants – such as friends, family, teachers, and choral
directors – was low in comparison to the number of professional singers and of these,
only once was a choral director listed as a primary singing influence. Both female
and male participants included primary singing influences that were known
personally, though only female participants identified their choral director. It is
65
suggested that choral directors might be using vocal modeling in a limited way,
rather than performing entire works for their singers.
Research question 2. This section pertains to the research question
regarding the live settings and the electronic mediums through which children listen
to their singing influences. The results presented in the previous chapter provide two
viewpoints for discussion. First, the overall number of responses for each medium
gave a broad view of the listening experience for participants, particularly the chosen
method for listening to their primary singing influence. Next, the responses which
identify specific mediums of electronic device and live settings provided further
information about how participants use each listening method.
When asked about the setting or medium relevant to the singer to whom they
listen to the most, almost twice as many identified this as being electronic rather than
a live setting. Over half of the participants responded that they used an electronic
device, which was consistent with the number of responses identifying a professional
singer as the primary influence. It is suggested that the ability for participants to
listen to professional singing influences increases if they have access to them
through an electronic medium, and that listening to them in a live setting is
infrequent. Based on the data supporting research question 1 which indicated
professional singers as being the most frequent influence, this answer to research
question 2 might have been expected (through an electronic medium). For financial
and logistical reasons, participants would conceivably have more access to listening
66
to professional singers through electronic means than through live performances. Of
the participants who reported listening to their primary singing influences in live
settings, most identified their friends and family. With respect to gender, a greater
number of females reported using an electronic device to listen to their primary
singing influences than females listening in a live setting, whereas an equal number
of males reported electronic devices and live settings respectively.
To further answer this research question, the participants were asked to
identify the specific electronic mediums and live settings through which they listen
to singing. The suggested choices of electronic devices on the survey included a
range of mediums that were common at this time of the data collection. The
researcher offered a list of mediums on the survey that he thought might be
accessible to participants. These electronic devices included television, iPod/mp3
player, radio, computer, and car stereo system, along with the option of "other." The
greatest number of participants responded that they use three or four electronic
devices for listening to singing. The car stereo system portable music player, radio,
and computer were identified as the mediums most used, with similar frequency
levels in the results. The other choice, the television, was reported far less frequently.
The prevalence of the car stereo system being identified is understandable in
communities where families tend to have their own cars, as children are likely to be
frequently transported in those cars for regular periods of time. Listening to singing,
and perhaps even singing along with the music, provides an activity to engage
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children in music while in the car. The portable music player, an electronic device
that provides solitary (Bull, 1995) or shared (Pickford, 2011) listening experiences
for the user, was another popular method of listening to singing identified by these
young participants. They have a degree of control over the content on their music
player and conceivably have access to their favorite singing influences at any time.
The radio, which could be used in a car or another location, is an older electronic
medium that is still relevant today, according to these results. The variety of music
played on radio stations, from popular to classical music, allows for new musical
discoveries for the listener. However, this range of exposure is controlled by the
commercial industry. In contrast, the computer allows the listener more control over
the range of musical exposure. This medium for music listening requires input from
the user such as conducting specific online searches. Digital content can be
downloaded and transferred to a portable music player, or played directly on the
computer. Additionally, online streaming sites, such as YouTube and Pandora Radio,
allow the user to search and browse for music to listen online, bypassing any need
for downloading the content.
On the survey, the researcher offered several options for participants to
identify live settings, including home, neighborhood, church, concert, rehearsal, and
school. These were considered the most likely settings and an option was provided
for "other." It is interesting to see how a high majority of participants identified the
concert setting. Knowing some of the customs of choral ensembles in this region, the
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researcher suggests that these study participants may well have related opportunities
for attending concerts, either as an audience member or a performer. The researcher
is aware that each ensemble is generally scheduled to perform one or more concerts
during each season. The rehearsal setting received only slightly less responses and is
another situation in which all study participants naturally encounter singing in a live
setting. Perhaps some participants did not include this as a setting to hear live singing
because it did not occur to them to include an activity in which they participate as
also being one in which they listen. Of the remaining responses, the school setting
was cited by over half of the participants. It should be noted that the participants in
these choral programs are drawn from a wide number of schools in the region with
varying music programs (or lack thereof). The results certainly indicate that there is a
musical presence of some kind in a number of these schools. Approximately half of
the participants hear live singing at home. These findings were consistent with the
findings by Custodero et al. (2003) on adults that sing or play music for their
children. Finally, the church or other religious institutions can vary greatly in the
type of singing, from solo to congregational singing. Half of the participants
included this live setting, although the number of participants that attend religious
services was not known.
Research question 3. The final research question aimed to uncover the
participants’ perceptions of their feelings on singing and listening to singing. These
feelings contribute to the construct of their musical attitude (Cutietta, 1992). The
69
opportunity to participate in a choral ensemble provides young singers with
experiences that may impact their musical attitude and the way they view their
position in the choral ensemble. The researcher found the participants’ feelings when
singing and listening to singing to be highly positive, which is encouraging for
choral directors and the future of choral singing. The questions in the survey
encouraged open-ended responses from participants, which resulted in wide range of
emotions, thoughts, and descriptions. In the previous chapter, the researcher
categorized these responses into headings to highlight common themes. This section
discusses the perceptions of these young choral singers using these themes, with a
focus on specific responses that represent the study population.
When listening to singing, the participants’ perceptions predominantly show
elements of pleasure, engagement, and interest in the singing craft. These feelings
may obviously fluctuate depending on the type of music involved and how the
individual reacts to it. The single greatest emotional response reported by
participants was feeling happy when listening to singing, and expressions of
amazement, joy, and inspiration highlight additional colors of this perception. An 11
year old female described feeling amazed at “how well this person could sing,” and
an 11 year old male felt good that he was able to attend the a performance. One
participant reported feeling chills, a reaction described in research as “a [body]
response based on attachments that individuals develop to the music they enjoy”
(Panksepp and Trevarthen, 2009, p. 123). Additional emotional responses fell within
70
a wide range from feeling excited or alive to feeling peaceful or calm. This contrast
in emotion confirms the fluctuation of feelings between participants. Some of the
responses were categorized as a desire to do something. The desire to move with the
music was indicated with words like “dancing”, “swinging”, and “jumping around in
the audience.” These actions exemplify the excitement felt when listening to great
singing. Females of different ages (9 and 13 years) indicated a desire to dance, while
the highest age of male to identify dancing was age nine. However, a 13 year old
male described the feeling of swinging with the music, which can be considered to
be similar to dancing. The desire to complete an on-line search for more information
is particularly relevant to this study, as this participant (female, age 12) used
available technology to discover more information about the artist. Finally, many
participants’ described the person(s) singing, which confirms the interest in their
singing influences identified in research question 1. Some participants expressed
their interest in how singers achieved their vocal production. They further expressed
their admiration for certain singers and looked to them for inspiration, ideas, and
musical knowledge. Others perceived their influence as someone they would like to
be, or as “something to live up to.” These feelings were reported by females only,
particularly those age 11 or above. They highlight the power of singing influences
and show that the participants may gain both information and inspiration from
listening to singing.
71
When describing the feelings associated with their own singing, the
participants were positive about the experience, yet also shared a range of feelings to
describe themselves when singing. The emotional adjectives which participants used
to describe their own singing were similar to the adjectives describing the listening
experience. Participants felt happiness, joy, and wonder when singing, while some
exhibited confidence and strength. The action of singing empowered some of these
children with pride as they improved their skills. A 12 year old female and male both
reported that they love to sing because it makes them feel happy and good. Other
participants described feeling excited, powerful, passionate, and even soulful, which
are emotions that many choral directors would like to harness in singers. There are
others, however, who experienced nervousness, fear, and boredom when singing.
While both genders experienced nerves and fear, only males reported feelings of
boredom. A 13 year old male felt reported feeling both relaxed and bored at times,
which highlights the need for an engaging choral experience. It is evident that some
participants recognized the relationship they are able to have with the audience when
singing for others. The desire to express emotions and feelings by sharing their
voices with others was an insightful perception that acknowledges the audience.
Alternately, a participant (female, age 10) felt embarrassed singing in front of others,
which was a response that seemed perfectly natural for such young singers. The
researcher found great value in the participants’ self-descriptions, which provide a
personal view of the participants and the perceptions of their own singing. The
72
contrast in responses was evident here as well, as participants went from feeling
average or scared of hitting the wrong note, to feeling famous and able to do
anything. Many participants recognized positive changes in themselves when
engaged in singing. For those that found faults in their singing, the responses
suggested a desire to improve. Several females identified their fear of singing out of
tune, while one male (age 13) described his frustration at the out of tune singers in
the ensemble. Three participants reflected that singing is their preferred choice of
personal activity, stating that there is “nothing else I would rather do” and “nothing
better I could do at home” than sing.
Implications for Music Education
This research study involved young choral singers' reports on their singing
influences, the settings and mediums through which these influences take place, and
their feelings when singing or listening to singing which may be of particular interest
to choral directors, music educators, and curious parents. The singing influences
reported by this study population indicate a proclivity for professional musicians as
the primary vocal influence. Choral directors might consider conducting a similar
survey amongst their own choral members in order to determine the singing
influences of their singers for several reasons. For example, the choral director might
help children establish connections between their choral music and music they enjoy
outside of choir. They might play a recording of a song, or even a single phrase from
a song, as performed by a professional singer and relate it to aspects of the ensemble
73
repertoire. Furthermore, by using specific listening examples from singing influences
in a rehearsal, directors might provide a motivational goal for improving their
singing. Choral directors may wish to examine the repertoire of popular singing
influences and consider including an appropriate song or arrangement in a concert
program. By knowing the listening habits of their students, directors might help
expand their scope of listening by introducing them to a wider range of high quality
singing examples from different musical styles. Research has shown that children
respond well to familiar music. Woody (2004) suggested that directors “may be more
willing to consider children's preferences for certain musical qualities that cross
stylistic boundaries” (p. 33). Furthermore, choral directors might consider discussing
the singing profession with their young choral singers, including the requirements
and demands placed on their singing influences. This may be supported by a
discussion of other professions in the music field.
If singing influences are commonly found to be less evident from live
sources, choral directors might seek ways to provide opportunities for additional
exposure to live singing. As suggested earlier in the chapter, choral directors may
consider ways to establish themselves as a greater singing influence for their
ensemble. The researcher suggests singing longer musical lines instead of short,
instructional phrases during rehearsal and sometimes performing works for their
ensemble. Choral directors may also consider arranging guest performances by
singers from the community, such as music teachers, relatives of the ensemble
74
members, local performers, or other choral directors. Adult choral ensembles
sometimes offer outreach programs in which young singers may be able to attend
rehearsals or receive concert tickets for free or at a discounted price. Choral directors
may also consider announcing upcoming concerts so that ensemble members become
aware of live singing performances in the community. Directors might also be able
to negotiate reduced ticket prices to these performances for their singers.
The researcher suggests that choral directors explore ways of utilizing
technology with their ensemble and providing opportunities for the singers to expand
their knowledge and experience of singing through technology. Rehearsal recordings
can provide immediate feedback for singers to analyze and engage in self-evaluation.
The choral director may be able to offer rehearsal recordings or instructional tracks
as digital downloads which singers may access at home. Directors may need to give
instructions for conducting on-line searches and examples of reliable websites may
benefit young children with limited knowledge of the internet. Specific to the realm
of choral music, young singers may need search suggestions from directors, such as
the name of choral ensembles or choral conductors. Additionally, websites such as
YouTube and Pandora Radio allow the user to input search terms such as “choral
music,” for which they website will deliver audio and video content that matches the
parameters. The content on Pandora Radio includes detailed information on the
composer, conductor, and performers for the user to view. Directors may alert
students to the many classical radio stations that stream their content and publish the
75
playlist information on-line, which is a way that young singers may learn more about
choral music and also about classical music in general.
The positive feelings toward singing and listening to singing reported by
this study population imply that there is personal emotional benefit for young
children who participate in choral singing. Choral directors might nurture their
singers' awareness of listening opportunities and encourage their enjoyment thereof.
Besides a survey, choral directors might lead discussions about feelings associated
with singing and about any a particular section of music. They might further discuss
how they would like the audience to feel during their performance. Considering the
handful of responses mentioning feelings of nervousness, fear, and boredom,
directors might explore ways to address these and meet the needs of individual
singers. They might discuss feelings associated with performance anxiety, especially
as a performance approaches. The personal nature of this topic may hinder the
openness of anxiety-related responses, so the choral director should also consider
ways that singers might prefer to share feelings anonymously. Issues of boredom
might be addressed through a number of approaches, such as allowing for singer
choice in repertoire selection and ensuring an appropriate level of challenge in the
music.
Recommendations for Further Research
The researcher recommends several areas of future research on this topic.
Similar studies might be conducted in populations from other geographical regions
76
or socioeconomic status. Expanding the study populations might deepen the music
education profession’s understanding of young people and their experiences with
singing. Though socioeconomic status was not measured in this study, there may
also be differences in access to live singing and available technology between study
populations from different socioeconomic groups. Specific elements of the survey
might be used as a more concentrated research focus, particularly when used with
other methods of data collection. For example, the singing influences for a
population will likely change over time. Researchers may be interested in longer
term trends of singing influences, as well as those singers who continue to be
influential. In considering primary singing influences, researchers might attempt to
uncover specific reasons why young children appreciate these singers through in-
depth subject interviews. Further research about the feelings associated with singing
can also benefit from triangulation techniques. Follow-up interviews with subjects
might provide detail about the contexts that caused the reported feelings.
Further analysis of data with respect to gender might highlight additional
trends that were not seen in the original analysis. It would be interesting to know if
any perceptions of singing are specific to either gender. Some studies have restricted
the participants only to one gender, such as Kennedy’s (2002) study on junior high
school boys’ perceptions of the choral experience which focused on the reasons why
they enjoy singing in their choral ensemble. She found that musical knowledge,
teacher influence, and the social aspect such as “the benefits they receive through
77
belonging,” were the strongest factors for participating (Kennedy, 2002, p. 35). She
also reported that the male voice change was not a large issue for her study
population, and they preferred repertoire which they enjoyed or provided a
challenge. The singing influences of boys from the present research may provide
new repertoire ideas, although Kennedy (2002) warns about the “inherent challenges
in allowing developing adolescent voices to rehearse inappropriate vocal behaviors”
(p. 35). The researcher promotes the idea that, if repertoire from more popular
sources is included for young choirs, the repertoire and arrangements be both
appropriate and challenging and the quality of singing remain high.
A third idea for further research might be the expanding use of electronic
devices for listening to singing. As new mediums for accessing music become
available, it may be interesting to know how children utilize electronic devices and if
there are preferential differences between them. The internet, which can be accessed
via electronic devices, provides a variety of methods for retrieving digital recordings.
Future research may focus solely on how children use the internet to access their
singing influences. Age may be an important variable in this research area. Despite
any challenges in using electronic devices, young children often seem to be capable
of learning the functionality without major obstacles. An analysis of age and the use
of electronic devices may provide information for choral directors working with a
specific age group. The ability to access music through new technologies may impact
the way children experience their singing influences in the future.
78
Conclusion
The outcomes of this study indicate that primary singing influences for this
population of young community choral singers are professional contemporary
singers whose performances are accessed through electronic devices. Family,
friends, and the participants’ own choral ensembles were the singing influences
identified most in live settings. There were five live settings (concert, rehearsal,
school, church, and home) and four electronic mediums (car stereo system, portable
music player, radio, and computer) utilized most often to listen to singing. Finally,
the participants were overwhelmingly positive when describing the feelings
associated with their own singing and the feelings experienced when listening to
singing.
The researcher concludes that this study population has a wide range of
singing influences which are accessed through both live settings and electronic
mediums. Professional singers were found to be very influential, and participants
gained inspiration and musical information when listening to these singers
predominantly through the use of electronic devices. In contrast, when singing
influences were known personally by participants, they were predominantly heard in
live settings. Two influences which all participants likely heard in a live setting, the
participants’ choral ensembles and choral directors, were cited infrequently. The
participants’ positive feelings on their own singing and the singing of others indicate
the positive impact of the singing influences. The profuse emotional adjectives and
79
critical personal descriptions are indicative of children who are truly interested in
singing and the impact it has on their lives. The positive accounts of children in
community choral programs are evidence of meaningful musical experiences, both as
active performers and as listeners. The acquisition of meaningful musical
experiences has benefits for the children’s present activity as choral singers, as well
as their lifelong enjoyment of music.

80
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Appendix A: Recruitment script for soliciting study subjects

John Dennison
University of Southern California
Department of Music Education, Thornton School of Music
840 W. 34
th
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

You are invited to participate in a research study. The purpose of the study is to learn
about your interests in singing. You can choose if you want to participate or not. This
decision is up to you and your parents.

You have the opportunity to participate because you sing with a community chorus
in Los Angeles. You must be between seven and fifteen years old to be included in
the study. You will not write your name on the study.

The study will take place at your chorus rehearsal, and will take a total of ten
minutes. At any time, you can decide not to participate.

If you have any questions, please contact John Dennison at 310-692-1774, or send an
email to jdenniso@usc.edu.

Thank you for your time.

86
Appendix B: Child Assent Form

University of Southern California
Department of Music Education, Thornton School of Music
840 W. 34
th
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

ASSENT FORM FOR CHILDREN AGED 7-12 TO PARTICIPATE IN
RESEARCH

Perceptions of children in community choral programs on singing

My name is John Dennison.

We are inviting you to take part in a research study because we are trying to learn
more about your interests in singing. If you agree to be in this study you will be
asked to write answers to questions on a survey. We expect this activity to have no
risks for you. You will receive a pencil with music decorations at the end of the
study. You can keep the pencil, even if you don’t answer the questions.

Please take as much time as you need. If you want, you can talk this over with your
parents before you decide whether or not to participate. We will also ask your
parents to give their permission for you to take part in this study. But even if your
parents say “yes” you can still decide not to do this.

If you don’t want to be in this study, you don’t have to take part in in. Remember,
being in this study is up to you and no one will be upset if you don’t want to take
part or even if you change your mind later and want to stop. Your answers will not
be graded. Only you, your parents and the researcher will know if you participate.
Your parents or teachers will not see your answers.

You can ask any questions that you have about the study.

If you don’t want to take part in the study, you will be asked to sit quietly and study
your chorus music.

You can keep this form.

87
Appendix C: Youth Assent Form
University of Southern California
Department of Music Education, Thornton School of Music
840 W. 34
th
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089
ASSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH FOR YOUTH
(AGES 12-17)

Perceptions of children in community choral programs on singing
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by John Dennison BS
and Dr. Sheila Woodward Ph.D., from the University of Southern California,
because you are a singer in a community chorus program in Los Angeles. Your
participation is voluntary. You should read the information below, and ask questions
about anything you do not understand, before deciding whether to participate. Your
parent’s permission will be sought; however, the final decision is yours. Even if
your parents agree to your participation, you don’t have to participate if you don’t
want to. Please take as much time as you need to read this form. You may also
decide to discuss it with your family or friends. You will be given a copy of this
form.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Your participation may help me learn about young singers and their interest in
music.

STUDY PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete a
questionnaire during a regular rehearsal. This will take up to ten minutes. The
questions will ask you about the singing you hear in your life, what singers you like
to listen to, and how you feel about singing.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There is no anticipated risk to you if you choose to participate.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
The results will be submitted for publication and will provide our profession with
valuable knowledge and understanding.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will receive a ‘musical’ pencil to be used to answer the questionnaire. You may
keep the pencil as a thank you.

88
CONFIDENTIALITY
You should not write your name on the questionnaire.

The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s
Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may see your responses. The HSPP
reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research
subjects. Your parents, teachers or the chorus director will not be able to see what
you write.

Your answers will be transferred to a computer. The paper questionnaires will be
destroyed three years after the study has been completed, the data on the computer
will be destroyed five years after the study has been completed. When the study is
published, your name or other identifiable information will not be included in the
results.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
You can choose to be in this study or not. If you volunteer to be in the study, you
may withdraw at any time without any consequences. You may also refuse to answer
any questions you don’t want to answer and still remain in the study.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
If you choose not to participate, you will be instructed to silently study your chorus
music during the survey administration. Your part in the chorus will not be affected,
whether or not you participate in the study.

INVESTIGATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
John Dennison. Phone: 310-692-1774, Email: jdenniso@usc.edu, Mailing address:
840 W. 34
th
Street, Attention: Sheila Woodward, Los Angeles, CA 90089

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT – IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research
participant you may contact the IRB directly at the information provided below. If
you have questions about the research and are unable to contact the research team, or
if you want to talk to someone independent of the research team, please contact the
University Park IRB (UPIRB), Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Advancement, Stonier Hall, Room 224a, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1146, (213) 821-
5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

89
Appendix D: Parent Consent Form
University of Southern California
Department of Music Education, Thornton School of Music
840 W. 34
th
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089
INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH:
PARENTAL PERMISSION
Perceptions of children in community choral programs on singing
Your child is invited to participate in a research study conducted by John Dennison
BS and Dr. Sheila Woodward Ph.D., from the University of Southern California.
Your child’s participation is voluntary. You should read the information below, and
ask questions about anything you do not understand before deciding whether to
allow your child to participate. Please take as much time as you need to read the
consent form. Your child will also be asked his/her permission and given a form to
read, which is called an assent form. Your child can decline to participate, even if
you agree to allow him/her. Your child may also decide to discuss it with your
family or friends. You will be given a copy of this form.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to learn about the current influences on your singers, and
their perception of listening to singing through a media player or in a live setting.

STUDY PROCEDURES
If you agree to allow your child to participate your child will be asked to complete a
questionnaire during a regular rehearsal. This will take up to ten minutes. The survey
questions ask your child about the singing they hear in their life. He/she will identify
the electronic device(s) used to listen to singing and the place(s) they hear singing.
He/she will identify the singers they most like listening to, where they heard this
person(s) sing and how they feel when singing. If you would like a copy of the
questions asked of your child, please contact the researcher.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There is no anticipated risk to participants of this research study.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
The results will be submitted for publication and may provide our profession with
valuable knowledge and understanding.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
Your child will receive a ‘musical’ pencil to be used to answer the questionnaire.
He/she may keep the pencil as compensation for participation.

90
CONFIDENTIALITY
No names are written on the questionnaires. Neither you, nor the choral director, will
have access to your child’s responses.

The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s
Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews
and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

The completed surveys will be stored in a locked facility in the researcher’s home.
The surveys will be transferred to electronic documents. Three years after the study
has been completed, all paper survey forms will be destroyed; electronic data will be
destroyed five years after the study has been completed. When the study is
published, your child’s name or other identifiable information will not be included in
the results.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your child’s participation is voluntary. Your child’s refusal to participate will
involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you or your child are otherwise
entitled. You may withdraw your consent, and your child may draw his/her assent, at
any time and discontinue participation without penalty. You, or your child, are not
waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your child’s participation in
this research study.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
If your child chooses not to participate, he/she will be asked to silently study the
chorus music during the survey administration. Your child’s relationship with the
chorus will not be affected, whether or not s/he participates in the study.

INVESTIGATORS CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please contact John
Dennison. Phone: 310-692-1774, Email: jdenniso@usc.edu, Mailing address: 840 W.
34
th
Street, Attention: Sheila Woodward, Los Angeles, CA 90089

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT – IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research
participant you may contact the IRB directly at the information provided below. If
you have questions, concerns, complaints about the research and are unable to
contact the research team, or if you want to talk to someone independent of the
research team, please contact the University Park IRB (UPIRB), Office of the Vice
Provost for Research Advancement, Stonier Hall, Room 224a, Los Angeles, CA
90089-1146, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.
91
Appendix E: Script for survey directions

Hello everyone, my name is John Dennison. I am a student at USC, the University of
Southern California. I am conducting a research study about young singers – to find
out what singers you enjoy listening to, how you listen to music, and how you feel
about singing. If you have questions at any time, please raise your hand and I will
answer.

I have a list of questions for you answer. Please read the entire question before you
answer. Some of the questions ask you to circle an answer, and you can choose from
the choices given or write your own. For the rest of the questions, you will write
down your own answer. If you do not want to answer any question, please leave the
question blank.

We are now ready to begin and here is what I would like you to do:

1) Close your music folder and place it on your lap.

2) I passed out pencils when you came in. Please raise your hand if you did not
receive a pencil. You can keep the pencil as a thank you.

3) Please keep your eyes on your own paper and don’t talk to anyone while you
do this. Your name will not be on the paper, so no one, including your
parents or the chorus director, will know what you write.

4) If you have any questions, please ask me.

5) If there are no more questions, then I will begin to pass out the questions.
When you are finished, or if you don’t want to participate, please turn your
paper over. I will collect your paper at the end.

92
Appendix F: Survey

1) What are all of the electronic devices you use to listen to people singing?
Circle all that you use.
TV iPod/mp3 player Radio Computer Car stereo system
Other [please write]:
2) Who are the singers you most like listening to on the electronic device(s) you
circled above?

3) Where are all of the places you hear people singing live?
Circle all the places.
Home Neighborhood Church Concert Rehearsal School
Other [please write]:
4) Who are the singers you most like listening to at the places you circled above?

5) Name one singer that you like the most and circle where you heard this person
sing?
Singer’s Name: ________________________________________
Circle one: Heard on electronic device Heard live

6) How do you feel when you listen to really great singing?

7) How do you feel when YOU are singing?

How old are you? I am _____ years old.
Please circle: I am a GIRL. I am a BOY.

93
Appendix G: Singing Influences
Singing Influences via Electronic Device
Singer/rapper names
Adele, Christina Aguilera, Julie Andrews, Justin Bieber, B.O. B, Bono, Colbie
Caillat, Michael Carreon, Johnny Cash, Steven Curtis Chapman, Charlotte Church,
Eric Clapton, Kelly Clarkson, Nat King Cole, Taio Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Jason
DeRulo, Celine Dion, Eminem, Enya, Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Cee Lo
Green, Edita Gruberova, Billie Holiday, Jennifer Hudson, Jay-Z, Jessie J, Michael
Jackson, Stephen Jerzak, Billy Joel, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Kesha, Carole King,
Chuck King, Sean Kingston, Avril Lavigne, Leona Lewis, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj,
Emily Osment, Christina Perri, Katy Perry, Pitbull, Justin Posey, AJ Rafael,
Rihanna, Kristi Salas, Frank Sinatra, Britney Spears, Sting, Taylor Swift, James
Taylor, Chris Tomlin, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Ornella Vanoni, Jiro Wang, Dionne
Warwick, Kanye West, Phil Wickham, Paul Wilbur, Aaron Yan, Dad

Ensembles/bands
ABBA, Aly & Aj/78 Violet, The Beatles, The Betas, Boyz 2 Men, Big Bang, Big
Time Rush, Black-Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Camera Obscura, The Dickies, The Eagles,
Earth Wind and Fire, Fahrenheit, Far East Movement, Florence and the Machine,
Ghostland Observatory, Glee Cast, Green Day, Jackson Five, Jonas Brothers, The
Killers, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Led Zeppelin, Lemonade Mouth, Local natives,
LMFAO, Maroon 5, MGMT, Muse, Mumford & Sons, Neon Trees, Owl City,
Paranorm, Pink Martini, The Police, Queen, Raconteurs, Sleigh Bells, She and Him,
Spinners, Steely Dan, Streetlight Manifesto, Sugar Hill Gang, Teddy Bears, Toto,
Train, Two Door Cinema Club, U2, Vampire Weekend, Own choral ensemble

Composers/choral directors
Bach, Beethoven, Gustavo Dudamel, Brad Fidiel, Jerry Goldsmith, John Massari,
Puccini, John Rutter

Styles/nationality of music
Asian Boy Bands, Chinese singing, Christian, Classical, Country, Jazz, Korean Pop,
Musical theater, Opera, Pop, Rock, Russian music, Techno

Miscellaneous
Fire Burning (song title), Recordings my friends make, Mostly orchestral music (not
singing), Nothing that’s mainstream, Lots of different music, High and low singing,
Just as long as the music is good, Anyone young, Any singer, Jazz singers, Music
scores for movies, Aor 1 (radio station), The Fish (radio station), Classical KUSC
(radio station)

94

Singing Influences via Live Setting
Family/friends
Brother, Father, Family, Friends, Mother, Self, Sister

Professional singers
Christina Aguilera, Julie Andrews, Anita Baker, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Kesha,
Carole King, Demi Lovato, Elvis Presley, Puccini, Kenny Rodgers, Taylor Swift,
James Taylor, Paul Wilbur

Ensembles/bands
Own choral ensemble, Church choir, School chorus, Band at home, Fahrenheit, Glee
Cast, Jonas Brothers, The Killers, She & Him, Snow Patrol, Streetlight Manifesto,
U2, Vampire Weekend

Teachers/choral directors
Music teacher, Own choral director

Miscellaneous
Anyone who sings an interesting song and sings it fairly well, Anything that's great,
Any types of singers as long as they are good, Anybody, High singers and low
singers, Musicians like me, Favorite bands, Korean Pop, Rock and Roll

Settings
Church, Concert, Home, Neighborhood, School, Theater group

95
Primary Singing Influences
Professionals
Adele, Christina Aguilera, Julie Andrews, Justin Bieber, Michael Carreon, Stephen
Curtis Chapman, Charlotte Church, Eric Clapton, Taio Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Celine
Dion, Eminem, Brandon Flowers, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Edita Gruberova, IU,
Sean Kingston, Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Judy Garland, Cee Lo
Green, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Kesha, Alicia Keys, Carole King, John Lennon,
Katy Perry, Rihanna, Kenny Rodgers, Kristi Salas, Sting, Taylor Swift, Chris
Tomlin, Dionne Warwick, Kanye West, Paul Wilbur

Family/friends
Brother, Friends, Mother

Ensembles/bands
Cambridge Singers, Cornell Men’s Glee Club, Glee Cast, Swell Season, U2

Composer/choral directors
Own choral director, Puccini, John Rutter

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The range of musical experiences for most Western children in the 21st century is broad. Children listen to and are influenced by singing from various sources, including electronic devices and live settings. This exploratory study aimed to investigate children’s perceptions of their primary singing influences, the mediums through which they experience those influences, and their feelings associated with singing and when listening to singing. The study sample was comprised of 90 children ages 8 to 15 years, who were actively engaged in three community chorus programs in a major city in California. An anonymous, written survey was administered during regular ensemble rehearsals. The results are reported in narrative style.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Dennison, John Patrick (author)

Core Title Perceptions of community choral children on singing and influences

School Thornton School of Music

Degree Master of Music

Degree Program Music Education

Publication Date 04/25/2012

Defense Date 04/11/2011

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag choral,Community,influences,Music,Music education,OAI-PMH Harvest,perceptions,Singing

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Woodward, Sheila C. (committee chair), Grases, Cristian F. (committee member), Ilari, Beatriz (committee member)

Creator Email jdenniso@usc.edu,jpdennison@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-10334

Unique identifier UC11289301

Identifier usctheses-c3-10334 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-DennisonJo-641.pdf

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Document Type Thesis

Rights Dennison, John Patrick

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

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