The Chorus
Impact Study
How Children, Adults, and
Communities Benefit from
Choruses
Project Goals
• Track trends since Chorus America’s 2003 research
and learn more about the attributes of choral
singers.
• Explore the value of choral singing for children and
youth.
Methodology
• Respected research firm
• Online surveys of:
– More than 2,000 singers in choruses of all kinds
– 500 members of the general public
– 500 parents
– 300 K-12 educators from a variety of disciplines
• Audiences and choral singers alike have long
understood the intrinsic value of choral music.
• New data shows that choruses generate additional
benefits, and advance positive qualities that are
associated with success in life both for children and
adults.
Four primary findings
1. Far more people sing in choruses than participate
in any other performing art.
2. People who sing in choruses demonstrate
characteristics that make them remarkably good
citizens.
3. Children who sing in choruses have academic
success and valuable life skills.
4. There is a troubling decline in choral singing
opportunities for children.
Finding 1
• 42.6 million people sing in more than
270,000 choruses today.
• That’s far more than participate in any other
performing art.
• These numbers are up since Chorus
America’s research in 2003.
More than any other performing art…
Choruses perform
music that provides a
means of expressing
something greater
than each individual
participant.
More than any other performing art…
• A thriving and growing form of artistic
expression, and in addition to providing great
musical performances, advances many of
the positive qualities associated with success
both for children and adults.
Finding 2
People who sing in choruses demonstrate
characteristics that make them remarkably good
citizens.
Good citizens…
• Choral singers are far more likely to:
– Volunteer in their communities
– Contribute money to philanthropic causes
– Take on leadership roles
– Be team members
– Participate in the political process
Good citizens…
61
%
of adult choral singers read
newspapers daily
(compared to 48% of the
general public).
Good citizens…
87
%
of adult choral singers have
read a book in the last
month (compared to 59% of
the general public).
Good citizens…
96
%
of adult choral singers vote in
national and local elections
(compared to 70% of the
general public).
Good citizens…
Chart 2: Civic Engagement, Chorus Members vs. General
Public
Chart 3: Civic Engagement, Chorus Members vs. General
Public
Finding 3
• Children who sing in choruses have
academic success and valuable life skills.
• Parents and educators from every
discipline attribute a significant part of
academic success to singing in a choir.
Benefits for children who sing…
70%
of parents said their child
• is more self-confident
• is more self-disciplined
• developed better memory
skills
Chart 5: Choir Participation and Children’s Success Skills
Benefits for children who sing…
80%
of educators and parents say that
choir participation enhances
numerous aspects of a child’s:
• academic success (including better
grades)
• social development
Chart 4: Choir Participation and Academic
Performance
Benefits for children who sing…
90%
of educators believe choir
participation keeps some
students engaged in school
who might otherwise be lost.
Chart 6: Educators on Choir Participation and Student
Success Skills
Chart 7: Educators on Student Choir Participation and
Social Skills
Chart 8: Choir Participation and School, Community
Participation
Benefits for children who sing…
• Previous research on
value of instrumental
music education.
• Choral singing has
often been overlooked
by researchers—this
data fills that research
gap.
The “chorus effect”
• Parents date their child’s improvements in a
variety of areas to their joining a choral
group.
• That, and the breadth of benefits described
by both parents and educators, points to a
unique ‘chorus effect,’ one that isn’t simply
replicated by participation in other activities.
Finding 4
• There is a troubling decline in chorus
opportunities for children.
• An alarming trend suggests that these
opportunities are not available, being
reduced, or eliminated from schools across
the country.
Decline in choral singing
opportunities for children…
• More than one in four educators
surveyed said there is no choral
program in their schools.
• More than one in five parents
said that there were no choral
singing opportunities for their
children in their communities
• Nearly 20% of parents whose
children have never sung in a
choir say they would be
extremely or very interested in
signing their child up, illustrating
a “chorus gap”
Making the case for choral programs
• Choral singing is an accessible entry point for arts
exposure, with fewer barriers—economic, cultural,
or educational.
• More choral singing opportunities in schools and
communities could be a good strategy for bolstering
student achievement and engagement in schools.
• Leveraging the benefits that choruses bring to
children, adults, and communities is good for
schools and society.
Wrap Up
Chorus America’s 2009 Chorus Impact Study
• Choruses enrich the cultural and civic life of
our communities.
• Enhance the lives of choral singers.
• For more information about how to use these
resources, visit www.chorusamerica.org.