Singing Success Representing Primarily Undergraduate Institutions

The August 2023 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “Singing Success Representing Primarily Undergraduate Institutions” by Wendy K. Moy and Bryan E. Nichols. Following is a portion from the article.
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The culture of singing at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) is an integral part of the American choral ecosystem. Thousands of singers are engaged in robust music making in successful choral programs at PUIs and go on to lead choral programs in schools, churches, and the community. A great deal of scholarship on successful choral programs comes from Research 1 (R1) Universities and, in the case of dissertations, from recent graduates of those schools. However, ACDA conductors at PUIs represent vigorously productive choral singing in a range of small colleges and universities representing both public and private institutions. To that end, we aimed to sample from early, mid, and late career collegiate conductors. This was challenging, as any two authors would choose conductors differently based on professional networks and exposure to conductors at regional and national conference programs. Thus, representation at conference programs—and elite performance generally—was not the main criterion for selection. Further, we wished to compile a range of demographic variables including geographic representation but also gender and conductors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This interview article explores the factors for success in PUIs that have a rich history of choral singing and provides advice for conductors leading similar programs. Five conductors, from early career to late career, speak about the spectrum of successes and challenges in their collegiate choral organizations.

They come from a range of PUIs that offer two to five ensembles and a range of music majors from a few to hundreds. Some schools provide community-based participation, with adults aged twenty to seventy-three participating in campus music making. While the lessons learned from these interviews will not apply to every context, the theme of administrative support being crucial to success will resonate with all choral directors.

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Read the full article in the August 2023 issue of Choral Journal. acda.org/choraljournal