Building a Choral Community of Senior Citizens: A Case Study of Chulalongkorn University Senior Alumni Choirs (CU Silver Voices)
23 August 2024
10:00 - 10:30 hrs (GMT+7)
As a result of the “People and Music” principle of choral activities at Chulalongkorn University, the Chulalongkorn University Senior Alumni Choir (CU Silver Voices) was founded in January 2020, just before the global COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a two-year hiatus for the choir. CU Silver Voices focuses on lifelong choral music education and building a community of alumni who share a love for singing. Weekly rehearsals are conducted over about four months each term, culminating in a concert accompanied by a live band. As of the time of this study, the choir has performed eight concerts and is preparing for its ninth. Starting with 80 singers aged 55 to 80, the choir expanded to approximately 120 within its first year. The choir have evolved from a single SATB ensemble to presently include SSA, SATB, SAB trio, SSAA and TTBB a cappella quartets, a TTBB chamber group, and a mass SATB combined group featuring all voices. Concert durations have increased from 30 minutes initially to 90 minutes by the eighth concert, and there has been a significant improvement in the quality of singing.
Due to CU Silver Voices' distinctive composition, repertoire selection, low turnover rate, and concert approach, which distinguish it from other Thai senior choirs, this study seeked to understand the choir's evolution. The study began with a quantitative analysis of the 150 previous and current members of the choir to explore demographic composition and interrelationships among variables. It also delved into the choir's development, highlighting both musical and interpersonal dimensions. The study also explored teaching approaches, efforts to enhance social harmony and interaction among singers, particularly during pandemic-related rehearsal breaks, the fostering of community spirit, and their combined influence on satisfaction in both musical and personal aspects. The investigation drew upon geriatric developmental, educational psychology, and music education theories. Additionally, the study investigated the roles and leadership style of the conductor, alongside relevant management aspects contributing to the choir's journey.