How Australian singers experienced disruption to choir participation caused by pandemic lockdowns: A thematic analysis

Abstract

Benefits of group singing participation have been well established and group singing through social prescription has attracted recent research attention. This study offers a unique participant perspective on the benefits of regular singing group engagement by exploring what happened when access was lost through COVID-19 lockdowns. Sixty adult singers, including five facilitators, who ceased singing during lockdown submitted responses to an online qualitative survey. The respondents had all participated regularly in group singing for at least 5 years. Multi-faceted experiences of loss associated with mood, emotional regulation, access to shared joy and social connection were described by participants. Dissatisfaction with online singing alternatives and challenges of navigating a face-to-face return to group singing were emphasized. The research also describes the specific experience of singing group facilitators who described feelings of anguish related to not being able to resource their groups with singing and negative impacts on their personal and professional identities. In exploring what is lost to facilitators and group members due to pandemic intervention, this study highlights the value and experience of group singing involvement outside of the COVID-19 context.