Research Shorts: Collaborative Composition and Choral Repertoire for Post-Pandemic Well-Being

This week I have been chatting with Canadian academic, Dr Fiona Evison, about her practice-led research. Fiona describes herself as ‘a transplanted Scottish community music participant/ leader/researcher in Canada within a variety of settings, interested in how music-making supports social, mental, spiritual, and musical well-being.’ It is no surprise then that she explains ‘Composition, participation, and care are themes of my research.’ In this project, Fiona is particularly focused on the context of a post-pandemic setting.  

Fiona’s work considers how collaborative composition, a kind of community-based composition she calls relational composition – in which a group composes together through facilitated sessions – can benefit the group’s well-being. She also looked at the broader performance of choral repertoire, ‘with a post-pandemic Canadian community children’s choir that I also co-conducted’.   

The research was prompted by the ‘immense disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic’, which she went on to explain prompted her to carry out ‘detailed examinations of leader and participant experiences.’ Fiona identified well-being outcomes using the PERMA framework (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment). She notes that ‘leaders have a key role due to composing and relational challenges’.  

I asked her to tell us more about how her work was done. Fiona explained that she used action research which can consider researchers as leader/educators, as well as ‘planning, intervention, evaluation, revision [and] new planning’ cycles. She also told us that ‘composing/performing sessions were recorded, discussed, and analysed for well-being outcomes, and choir leaders, singers, and parents were interviewed. 

I asked Fiona who this research would be most useful for, and she suggests:

‘For community choirs, co-creating original music could have positive musical, social, and health outcomes. Using relational composition, leaders can offer needed support, even co-composing, without negatively impacting choristers’ well-being and ownership. This challenges common participatory thinking. Such activities are also a huge change to choral norms and require more time and support but can be exciting/renewing for stakeholders and audiences.’ 

Learn more about Fiona’s work: 

• Read ‘This Is My Place’: Considering the potential of place-based community music for community well-being and sustainability’ 
• Read Fiona’s thesis: Relational Composition for Post-Pandemic Well-being in a Canadian Children’s Choir 

Interview by Dr Sarah K. Whitfield – Research Manager at Music Mark