Building Community Choirs in the Twenty-First Century: Re-imagining Identity through Singing in Northern Ireland

This book explores how five community choirs in Northern Ireland construct and imagine collective identity formations through ethnographic research between 2013-2018. It demonstrates how choirs re-imagine identity through their organizing, rehearsing, and performing, highlighting the musical and social importance of the community of practice. The research provides unique insight into how community choirs transcend sectarian boundaries and develop academic understandings of identity formation, community music-making, and choral practice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 175 pages
Publication date: 07 July 2023
Publisher: Intellect Books

This captivating book delves into the fascinating world of community choirs in Northern Ireland, exploring their intricate processes of constructing and imagining collective identity formations. Through extensive ethnographic research conducted between 2013 and 2018, the author offers original insights into the diverse practices and approaches of these choirs, highlighting both their unique characteristics and shared similarities.

Communities of practice, a theoretical framework that emphasizes learning through engaging with others in a common endeavor, serve as the guiding framework for this research. By working closely with five choirs located in various regions, with diverse repertoires and demographics, the author has created an integrated comparison that reveals the malleability and adaptability of choral practice.

The research findings demonstrate how these choirs re-imagine identity through their organizational structures, rehearsal practices, and performances. Choirs develop a distinct choral identity and ethos, emphasizing both the musical and social significance of their community of practice. The findings suggest that choirs engage in the re-imagining of multiple conceptions of identities within their groups, encompassing gender, later age, religious faith, inclusivity, and ethnic diversity. These identities not only influence broader structures of community in the region but also are shaped and influenced by them.

The study of community choral practice in Northern Ireland remains relatively under-researched, making this book a valuable contribution to the field. By providing a deep understanding of how members of community choirs navigate sectarian boundaries through their practice, the book contributes to academic understandings of identity formation, community music-making, and choral practice.

In conclusion, this book offers a rich and insightful exploration of the world of community choirs in Northern Ireland. Through ethnographic research and a theoretical framework of communities of practice, it sheds light on the complex processes of identity construction, community music-making, and choral practice. It provides valuable insights into the ways in which these choirs contribute to the social fabric of the region and beyond, fostering understanding, unity, and cultural richness.

Dimension: 244 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789387964