How to carry out virtual choir rehearsals with the help of digital tools
A new research project at the Department of Music Education Innsbruck deals with virtual rehearsals (making music in digital and virtual space), which require communication in real time. The project investigates the use of digital tools in the cultural field, more specifically, to support choirs.
Digital Choral Practice - Cultural Participation in the Context of Virtual (T)Spaces
Project Management
Heike Henning
Duration
01.09.2022-31.08.2024
The COVID-19 pandemic has also given a boost to digitization in the cultural sector. Numerous cultural institutions and artists have gained experience with innovative, technology-supported formats. At the same time, it has become clear that digital transformation in this area is still in its infancy. Whether amateur choirs were able to experiment with digital choir rehearsals and performance formats during the pandemic was often dependent on the commitment and technical expertise of a few choir members. This is exactly where the new ERASMUS+ project "Online Choirs: How to carry out virtual choir rehearsals with the help of digital tools" comes in.
The ERASMUS+ project, which started on September 1, 2022, is led by Janine Hacker and Jan vom Brocke (both at the Hilti Chair of Business Process Management at the University of Liechtenstein) and deals with the question of how choir rehearsals can be carried out in virtual space with the help of digital tools. Together with Heike Henning (Mozarteum University Salzburg) and Alexander Carôt (Anhalt University of Applied Sciences), the project will develop technological solutions, choral pedagogical approaches, and recommendations for increasing technology acceptance and promoting social interaction. These should be adaptable to the needs of different choirs and furthermore to different types of online meetings in the professional and private sphere.
With the help of the results from the project, the organization and implementation of virtual choir rehearsals should be facilitated for choir leaders as well as choir members. In line with the priorities of the ERASMUS+ program, the project aims to improve access to culture and reach new potential target groups. The project does not aim to replace face-to-face rehearsals. Rather, the long-term goal is to better understand the particular advantages of digital formats and to rethink choral rehearsals, e.g., in terms of hybrid rehearsal formats. For example, cross-national choral projects could be initiated more easily, or choral conductors could simultaneously lead choral rehearsals in institutions or regions where there is a shortage of choral conductors. By developing innovative concepts for conducting online choir rehearsals, the project makes a valuable contribution to promoting digital transformation and building digital skills in the cultural sector.
The aim is also to counteract the "choir death", which has been a major problem in some regions since the pandemic, and thus actively contribute to the preservation of club life. Subsequently, the findings will also be made available for other event formats in the cultural and business sectors. The solution approaches developed within the project are to be tested and evaluated in a virtual laboratory choir. Currently, interested choirs as well as enthusiastic singers are being sought to support this activity. If you are interested in participating in the lab choir or would like to share your experiences with online choir rehearsals, please contact the project leader, Janine Hacker (janine.hacker@uni.li), Assistant Professor at the Hilti Chair for Business Process Management at the University of Liechtenstein.
About ERASMUS+: The EU program ERASMUS+ aims to promote Europe-wide cooperation in all areas of education, lifelong learning, as well as innovation. Under the new program Erasmus+ 2021-2027, the themes of Inclusion and Diversity, Green Erasmus+, Digital Transformation the Participation in Democratic Life have been defined as priorities. In Key Action 2 of the program, support is given in particular to collaborative partnerships between organizations that implement projects to develop innovative approaches in the field of education.
