Summary of “Advocacy for the Choral Art: Empowering Our Communities” – an Advocacy & Collaboration Monthly Blog Post 

I am really trying to embrace ChatGPT, and other AI tools, partially because I don’t want my students cheating, but really because we all need to prepare for how AI will impact our future. So, I try to instill not just concepts but critical thinking and life skills into every lesson. Hopefully students will then better know what to ask when they do choose to use AI – or at least they will think about it. Call me optimistic, but I really want to believe that AI will never win over human interaction or relationships. I sincerely hope that we may use AI to take us to the next level or make some tasks quicker, but not completely replace the human element. Said another way, I try to empower my students to bring AI into their creative processes as a way to enhance what they are doing instead of just doing all the work for them. 

Forget AI for a second…how do you feel empowered? What does the word “empowered” even mean and why do we need “to feel” it? Ok, back to AI for a moment; let’s use it to get some definitions to kick off this month’s A&C blog post. 

According to ChatGPT by OpenAI, The word empowered refers to having the confidence, authority, or capability to take control of one’s life, make decisions, and effect change. It implies a sense of strength, autonomy, and the ability to influence one’s circumstances or environment.

In different contexts, it can mean:

• Personal Empowerment: Feeling confident and capable in your own abilities and choices.

• Example: A person feels empowered when they acquire the skills to pursue their goals.

• Social Empowerment: Gaining the rights, resources, or support needed to participate fully in societal or community life.

• Example: Community programs that empower marginalized groups by providing education or job opportunities.

• Authority and Power: Being given the legal or formal power to act in a specific capacity.

• Example: A manager is empowered to make decisions for their team.

Empowerment often involves removing barriers and building confidence or access to resources.

So let me ask one more time – how do you feel empowered – and more importantly, does your unique creative choral space leave all who touch it feeling empowered? 

In an article from our recent Advocacy and Collaboration focus issue of the Choral Journal, Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer offers us insight for how to advocate for choral arts by empowering our communities.* In this month’s blog post, we highlight some of the key points of that article and hopefully you’ll walk away feeling extra empowered, or at least with a path with which to get started. At the end, we offer a link to the full journal as well as additional A&C resources or tools you may want to utilize. 

Dr. Brinckmeyer’s article begins by defining advocacy as a “catalyst for change” and a tool for “expanding awareness.” It then explains the importance of engaging the community to ensure all shareholders, musicians and non-musicians alike, understand the value of what the choral arts brings. Specifically, spending time thinking about the “WIFM Club” or “what’s in it for me club.” How do different shareholders view or perceive what you do as a choral artist and how can you “bridge the gaps” or “educate others” so that the WIFM list expands for everyone? 

Where do you even begin? Brinckmeyer offers a simple “starting point,” storytelling. Through sharing intentional stories that specifically highlight various points from the WIFM (and beyond), the gaps begin to diminish. Beyond just telling stories, Brinckmeyer offers a list of other tools we can use to feel empowered to advocate about our programs. Brinckmeyer encourages you to just try implementing a few of the following: 

1. Highlight student success (either in displays with photos, a rolling powerpoint, student responses, or even student word clouds)
2. Share an Informance (rather than a polished performance in order to highlight the process, not just the product) 
3. Call to Action for Caregivers (include contact information and other easy links to equip caregivers to reach out to local decision makers) 
4. Engage Decision Makers (invite school board members, administrators, and community leaders) 
5. Invite Special Guests (think mayors, local or state legislators, university leadership, professional organization leadership and have them deliver the welcoming remarks) 
6. State and National Standards (have them printed and visible in your space highlighting that it is more than just learning a single vocal line in a concert program) 
7. Rehearsal Process and Progress (before a performance, please a short clip of early rehearsals or a process video to showcase the progress and work ethic of the singers) 
8. Bring a Caregiver Day (similar to bring a friend to choir day, have a rehearsal where caregivers can sit alongside and interact as if they were in the ensemble) 
9. School Board (take a field trip and sing for the opening of a meeting) 
10. Show the scope of what you do (either highlighting rehearsal processes or schedules) 
11.  Utilize social media (connect with a broader audience and build your choral community virtually – or ask a local influencer to be an MC at your next concert) 
12. Share Research (offer links or share on social research supporting WIFM interests) 
13. List Websites (provide links and also build legitimacy) 

In summary, Brinckmeyer’s article defines advocacy, our role, and offers a list of tools to empower you to get started. Advocacy is something we all get to do, together, to build the awareness, opportunities, and education of our beautiful choral arts! The more folks know, the more we will see engaging in the choral arts – and that is definitely a human element that can’t be replaced by AI. 

*Brinckmeyer, Lynn. 2024. “Advocacy for the Choral Art: Empowering Our Communities.” Choral Journal 65 (3): 22–26.

Check out the full journal here!  

If you need any help, we are here for you! There’s an awesome infographic in the inside back cover of your October 2024 Choral Journal, or check out acda.org/advocacy or instagram.com/acdaadvocacyandcollaboration.  

Dr. Emily Williams Burch chairs ACDA’s Advocacy & Collaboration Committee. Dr. Burch has served in various positions for ACDA at the state, regional, national level in a variety of roles, including co-programming chair and honor choir coordinator for the Southern Region ACDA conferences since 2014. You can subscribe to her podcast, “Music (ed) Matters” wherever you get your podcasts, on Youtube, or at EmilyBurch.org/podcast.