Nordic choral conductor education: Overview and research agenda

Abstract

ABSTRACT. - The choral movement holds a prominent position in the Nordic countries, and choral singing is one of the top social activities in terms of the number of people involved. While all these choirs need conductors and depend on choral leadership competence, we have limited knowledge of the existence and level of available competence, qualitatively or quantitatively. Music academies and universities are key providers of competence and capacity to meet the demands of amateur and professional ensembles alike. This paper seeks to establish a picture of university/academy-based education in choral conducting, with focus on the Scandinavian countries. Existing research is scarce, and the overall aim of this initial effort is to provide a foundation for further research. We have pursued the following related research questions; which educational programmes exist, what are their profiles in terms of the underlying thinking and ensemble needs they serve, and what is the capacity in terms of number of students? A variety of research data has been gathered, including curriculum reviews and interviews with conducting teachers and students from selected institutions. Although we have been able to answer the research questions to some degree, the study opens a series of new questions, which suggest an agenda for further research. Key words: choir, choral conductor, education, curriculum