Without music, life would be a mistake. - Friedrich Nietzsche. How do music and singing affect singers lives? Reflections based on qualitative interviews with singers and choral conductors

How do we view music and what value do we attribute to musicking activities? Based on the understanding of music as an activity as opposed to an object, I will seek to answer the following primary research questions: Can music and singing positively influence people s lives and increase their quality of life and sense of well-being? If so, how? This work includes a combination of my own research data gathered from qualitative interviews with singers and choral conductors, combined with existing theory and research. The thesis is comprised of five main sections: Chapter one – Introduction, includes a presentation of methodology and key terminology. Chapter two explores musicking s effect upon the individual, including its role in shaping identity, music as a form of expression, as well as its relationship with emotion and motivation. Chapter three looks at musicking in an interpersonal setting, including its impact on our sense of belonging and meaningfulness, as well as exploring potential benefits of choral singing. Chapter four includes a discussion of findings, and of the notion of elitism and the availability of musicking for wider society. Chapter five presents reflections regarding my own research experience, possibilities for future research and closing thoughts on the power of musicking. Findings: Musicking and singing can contribute towards quality of life and well-being in many ways, some of which are mentioned here: Individually, it shapes our identity and sense of self, allows us to experience mastery and build up our resources, as well as expanding our emotional experience. In an interpersonal setting musicking contributes to our sense of belonging and meaningfulness, as well as allowing us to experience Flow. In a choral setting musicking can also contribute to the transformation of lives. Theories presented in this thesis include: Fredrickson s Broaden and Build theory, Grandjean, Sherer and Zentner s theory of GEMs, Juslin and Västfjälls mechanisms for the induction of emotion through music, and Antonovsky s theories of Salutogenesis and Sense of Coherence. Some concepts included in this thesis are: Musicking, Singing, Quality of life, Well-being, Flourishing, Music and Emotion, Peak Experiences, Identity, Internal and External motivation, Elitism, Virtuosity, and Transforming power of Music