Virtual Choirs and Issues of Community Choral Practice
Cole Bendall · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2024
Abstract Technological developments in recent years have enabled a wider public access to the tools required to create, edit, collaborate on, and distribute audio-visual media—a phase documented in the rise of online video and social media platforms. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, many vocal ensembles took to producing online content as a replacement for their typical series of meetings, rehearsals, and concerts. The phenomenon of the virtual choir is by no means new, with similar projects taking place since the early 2010s. Singers, vocal groups, and choirs are participating in these projects with greater frequency—and, for some, urgency. This chapter proposes that virtual choirs present new modes of musical practice and group identity in online communities that differ from pre-existing modes of synchronous choral practice. A short history of the virtual choir is theorized as a progression from the development of multi-tracking to the modern ubiquitous presence of technology. The author reflects on his practice as a choral director using virtual choirs and offer suggestions on the ways in which the use of the virtual choir may prove an effective pedagogical tool. Finally, varied examples of virtual choirs are presented that illustrate the potential for mass participation and collaboration beyond typical physical boundaries.