Relational Composition for Post-Pandemic Well-being in a Canadian Children’s Choir
Abstract
This thesis discusses the use of Action Research to investigate relational composition for well-being purposes with a Canadian community children’s choir that I also co-conducted. Relational composition is a theory explaining the thinking and processes of community composers interacting at various levels of creative control with music-makers. This composing is relational because it privileges people’s well-being and enables composers to build supportive relationships with musicians of all skill levels, becoming vital community members and having transformational experiences alongside participants. Contrary to some common community music (CM) approaches, members do not always compose in relational composition. The relational aspect means that collaboration decisions are based on what approach serves the group best, which may be no, or extensive, co-creation. This research emerges from the global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and is situated within the fields of CM, choral arts, and music education. Well-being is a prominent research theme, and this study is no exception, as it is related to negative affects from pandemic disruptions as well as the need to address lockdown recovery for CM groups. Well-being, relational composition, and participation form the conceptual framework, along with the PERMA model from positive psychology, which provides a means of analyzing well-being related to participants’ composition, learning, and performance of new collaborative works. PERMA examines well-being as measured by Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Findings suggest that leaders and choristers demonstrated well-being in each of these areas from relational composition of four new pieces, which they developed together, then performed for the community. These pieces were musically delightful, well-received, and a source of immense pride and ownership, with composing collaboration overcoming any hurdles or limitations. Nevertheless, lack of composing experience, confidence, and skill; increased chorister socializing; and time issues created challenges. Leaders gave vital support to choristers and one another during a challenging time of restarting the choir, and findings continue to support a role for community composers who work in various ways, as per relational composition’s theory. However, attempting to return to choral practice norms impacted future composing for the choir, even as the choir experienced significant pandemic recovery.