The Emotional Effect of Choral Singing on Vocalists

Duane CottrellThis experiment focused on four choirs affiliated in the Newark, Delaware area. Using the Circumplex Model of Affections to define emotions, the researcher used surveys to monitor the affective state of each participant directly before and immediately after a typical choral rehearsal. When all the data was collected, the overall change in emotional state within each individual was recorded and tested. The researcher ran correlation tests to determine the change in affections as a result of a choral rehearsal. From there, regression tests were used to determine what effect these changes had on the involuntary physical reactions of goose bumps and subject willingness to donate blood and tutor children. The researcher found an overall positive change in affections from before to after the rehearsal. The positive affective changes had no significant impact on subjects’ willingness to donate blood, but indicated an increase in the probability of subjects to tutor children. This suggests that the change in affections experienced during a choral rehearsal is powerful enough to impact temporary states of philanthropic generosity, but not enough to change fixed states of physical well-being and spiritual or moral beliefs. Finally, there was a high correlation between the positive affective changes and goose bump frequency. This implies that those who experienced positive changes in affections were likely to experience the involuntary physical reaction of goose bumps – suggesting an experience of profundity inherent in the process of creating music.Music Education Choral/Genera