Choral Ethics: Virtue Signaling

“Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” William Shakespeare

As we begin the new academic year, I’d like to start today with ChoralNetter correspondence concerning a topic that still has me a bit baffled: Virtue Signaling.  I’ve had two folks contact me about this topic over the summer and hope you’ll comment below with your own views.

Carol*, who directs a community chorus, tells me her Board approached her over the summer about ways their chorus could look more community minded. They want to appear service oriented and “good people” instead of the “selfish way” they look now. I asked Carol why the sudden interest in “doing good” and she tells me a Board member saw something on vacation to spark this idea. She feels her Board is missing the point of being altruistic because they want everyone to know what they are doing for the community. However, every idea they’ve had seems to be problematic.

They thought about raising ticket prices, especially for their holiday program, so a portion of the ticket price can be donated to local charities. The Board wants to publicize their donations and feel keeping the same ticket prices but losing money when they donate wouldn’t be fair.

They also spoke about having a coat drive or a blanket drive or a food drive in conjunction with their concerts. And again, they want these drives to be heavily publicized so they can “look good.” In discussion, one Board member complained about how much work these drives would be AFTER concerts since someone would have to collect the coats or blankets or food and take them somewhere.

I suggested to Carol not raising ticket prices but having free-will donations for advertised charities at concerts instead. Concert goers can donate, or not, and it will cut down a bit on accounting since they only need to worry about the money collected, not the portion of a ticket price. With my own experience collecting items for food pantries and homeless shelters, if you contact the organization you want to donate to BEFORE the concert, most will gladly schedule a pickup. It also helps to speak with them before, so you know what they will accept and what they will not. As far as Carol’s distaste with virtue signaling, my thoughts are:  if it does good, it’s probably fine, no matter what.

Damen* directs a chorus with a 40-year long history of accepting anyone who wants to sing with them. His singers range in age from 16 to 80+ and the chorus has sung for both children’s hospitals and nursing homes. They have singers who have disabilities, physical and intellectual, and as long as someone is able to read music and sing, they are welcomed. The chorus is not specifically a LGBTQ+ chorus but have many singers who identify as such and have sung for Pride events several times.

Damen’s question is about not wanting to appear like his chorus is virtue signaling. Since they’ve had a 40-year history of acceptance of ALL SINGERS, would it be virtue signaling to mention their history of acceptance in publicity materials? I told him I didn’t think so, it would just be reiterating their mission. It’s not a “new thing,” it’s just “their thing.”

I must confess, I am baffled by virtue signaling. I never understood the need to brag about doing good. I don’t see anything wrong with it, but it can get irritating if we constantly hear about how great and generous another group of people is. Is the implication you and your ensemble are jerks because you’re not collecting food for a food pantry in December? Do folks need to always get kudos for doing something good? Must we be aware if it appears WE are virtue signaling? I can see many sides of this issue. What are your opinions—please comment below.

*Name Withheld