Why do people spend time and money on arts activities when current economic and educational values suggest that other pursuits are more worthy? Literature and research inform us that the arts are a means of knowing and learning; that they contribute to a culture of permanence; and that they are a means of connecting humans to the world beyond.

This study  conducted with a community choir in Ontario, Canada, was designed to get at the heart of the experience of the individual singer who belongs to a specific choir. Case study, grounded theory, and narrative inquiry methods were employed, using the ethnographic tools of the video and audio recorded field events, the recorded and transcribed interview, recorded and transcribed focus group interviews, field notes, and questionnaires.

The study revealed that participants viewed their participation in the choir as a form of community, self-identity, means of restoration and healing, and means of developing discernment and connoisseurship.

Willingham, L. (2005). What Happens when People Sing? A Community of Voices: An Investigation of the Effects of Belonging to a Choir. Festival 500: Sharing the Voices.