The presence of at least two prominent streams of church music within the DRC is evident – this is also true of most other Protestant and Reformed churches. There is tension between the ‘old music’ and the ‘new music’; traditional church music and contemporary church music; the official repertoire of church music and the utilized repertoire of songs. Liturgical singing often includes various free songs (songs outside the official hymnal). Songs from various traditions are cut and pasted or copied and merged into liturgy through a process of bricolage. Within bricolage liturgy there is a growing tendency towards bricolage liturgical singing. A brief overview of the history of church music illustrates the complexities regarding church music. The official song of the temple was often complimented by the ecstatic song of individuals. The more formal and official song of the church often stood in contrast to the song and music that were played and sung in houses and elsewhere. Christian believers in different eras expressed themselves in different forms and genres of music. The Bible does not support a blueprint for church music. There is no Biblical church music, mainly because no ‘melodies’ could be preserved (cf. Mowinckel 2004:9). The latter is further complicated by the culture-bound nature of Biblical music and songs. The Biblical data mostly provides snapshots of instances where God’s people utilized music and singing in their interaction with the Almighty and covenantal God. Certain principles and guidelines for church music could be drawn from these, although the danger of fundamentalism, relativism and subjectivism remains. A study of liturgy illustrates the important role of music and singing within the dialogue of the liturgy. Recent studies emphasize that church music could function as a ritual symbol within a specific cultural or sub-cultural community. As such church music is closely related to the culture (or sub-culture) of a given community and can never be evaluated apart from that culture. Within a postmodern culture, church music will be greatly influenced and coloured by the values and attitudes of postmodernism. The latter have major implications for musical styles, genres, repertoires and the sanctification of church music. Within postmodernism the borders between sacred and secular are not so clear, neither between sacred (liturgical) music and secular music. Within Western culture and postmodernism there is a growing need for an inculturated and an inter-culturated song, expressing the smaller narrative(s) of the local congregation in idioms, language, metaphors and styles true to the local culture. Church music is closely related to the spirituality of the local congregation. The dominant type of spirituality will necessarily have a sound influence on the musical genres, accompaniments, styles and repertoire of the local congregation. The growing phenomenon of popular spirituality has definite implications for church music. At least three circles of spiritualities must find expression in the song of the local congregation, namely an ecumenical spirituality, a denominational spirituality and a congregational spirituality. Where the official song (Liedboek van die Kerk) gives expression to the denominational or Reformed spirituality as well as the meta-narrative, the free song often gives expression to the congregational spirituality as well as the smaller narrative. It is argued that the freely chosen song is an important means of expressing the spirituality of the local congregation (culture). In this sense, it does not threaten the official church song but compliments it. These two could stand in a positive and creative tension. Regarding liturgical singing, the DRC is presently moving from a societas through a phase of communitas to a new societas. It is impossible to predict the outcome of this process. As Burger (1995:31) indicates, a communitas-phase releases a lot of new energy that could be of great value to the church. Church music, as folk music and cultural music, will have to be faithful to the culture and spirituality of God’s people living in the twenty first century within a given context. The age-old tradition must continue hand in hand with a new song. Vos (2009:5) summarizes accurately: “However, each generation of believers must interpret the ancient sources and traditions of the Church anew, within the demands of their time, without being unfaithful to the traditions in which a definitive liturgy exists”. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Trained musicians cannot use the same breath process in daily living as for singing. Also, the normal breath cycle applied to speech is not efficient. Therefore, students who are learning to sing need to know proper breathing techniques. In this thesis, I will describe the breathing process and the correct way to breathe while singing, based on studies of four American pedagogues; Appleman, Reid, Vennard and Miller. To understand the breathing process for singing, it is necessary to study and understand the anatomical system and the mechanics of the respiratory system. Therefore, the first chapter contains anatomical system of breath management. Then, in the second chapter, the specific breath management techniques of four American pedagogues will be examined and compared. Three of them, Appelman, Vennard, and Miller, suggested some exercises in order to develop correct and efficient breathing habits.

Syftet med studien är att få syn på folksångslärares uppfattningar om genrespecifika övningar, om och hur mycket de används, om lärarna ser ett behov av fler sådana övningar och huruvida de tror att dessa övningar har en påverkan på elevers stilistiska utveckling. Tidigare litteratur och forskning berör definitionen av begreppen tradition och sångteknik samt vad som utgör det svenska folkliga sångsättet. Dessutom redogörs för betydelsen av en genrespecifik sångteknik samt avsaknaden av en folksångsmetodik. Studien har en kvalitativ forskningsansats och tar utgångspunkt i det sociokulturella perspektivet på lärande. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har an- vänts som datainsamlingsmetod vilka sedan har transkriberats och analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys. I resultatet framgår respondenternas syn på det folkliga sångsättet och hur sy- nen på begreppet tradition avspeglar sig i undervisningen. Dessutom framkommer att genre- specifika övningar används och detta främst på detaljnivå. Diskussionen belyser resultatet i relation till tidigare presenterad litteratur där fyra områden diskuteras; Ett uttalat behov skulle leda till förändring, All form av sångteknik tillhör en genre, En uppdaterad lista, När det ”riktiga” är konstruerat. / The purpose of the study is to gain insight into folk song teachers' perceptions of genre-specific exercises, if and how much they are used, if teachers see a need for more such exercises and whether they believe that these exercises have an impact on students' stylistic development. Previous literature and research concern the definition of the concepts of tradition and singing technique as well as what constitutes the Swedish folk way of singing. In addition, the im- portance of a genre-specific singing technique and the lack of a folk singing methodology are explained. The study has a qualitative research approach and is based on the Sociocultural Learning Theory. Semi-structured interviews have been used as a data collection method which have then been transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show the respond- ents' views on the folk singing style and how the views on the concept of tradition are reflected in the teaching. In addition, it appears that genre-specific exercises are used, and this mainly at the level of detail. The discussion highlights the results in relation to previously presented lit- erature where four areas are being discussed; A pronounced need would lead to change, All forms of singing technique belong to a genre, An updated list, When the "right way" is constructed.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka och utvärdera hur dirigenten på effektivast möjliga sätt kommunicerar information till koristerna genom sitt gestiska språk utifrån hur koristerna fördelar sin uppmärksamhet och tolkar positioneringen av dirigentens händer. Studien utredde även om och i så fall hur uppmärksamhetsfördelningen och tolkningen av en dirigents gestik skiljer sig mellan korister med varierande körerfarenhet och musikalisk utbildning. Dirigering är ett uråldrigt icke-verbalt kommunikationssätt och tidigare forskning visar att vi människor speglar varandras kroppsspråk, den så kallade kameleonteffekten. Tillsammans med vetskap om hur sångarens röstapparat fungerar ges en övergripande bild av vilken information koristen behöver från dirigenten för att sången ska nå önskat resultat. Studien genomfördes genom experiment på fyra körgrupper med skilda erfarenheter av körsång samt utbildningsnivå i musik, där ett antal övningar konstruerades för att kunna analysera hur sångarna fördelade sin uppmärksamhet mellan dirigentens händer, ansikte och det egna lyssnandet. Som komplement till experimentet genomfördes även en intervju med en erfaren professionell kördirigent. Resultatet visade att det fanns både likheter och skillnader i försöksgruppernas tolkning av gestiken. Enklare gester som tydligt ger psykologiska associationer till kända känslor eller beteenden, såsom att lyfta något tungt, tolkades intuitivt på likvärdigt sätt av samtliga sångare, medan mer köridiomatiska gester såsom att placera en konsonant på ett synkoperat slag skiljde sig mellan grupperna. Detta innebär inte att mindre erfarna sångare med nödvändighet inte kan avläsa eller förstå vissa gester. Skillnaderna mellan gruppernas tolkning av gestiken berodde sannolikt i hög utsträckning på andra faktorer, såsom att det i repetitionssammanhang kan ta längre tid för den oerfarne koristen att lära sig läsa noterna, hitta rätt i röst och andning och intonera rent. Detta gör att denne inte har lika mycket utrymme att koncentrera sig på dirigentens gestik jämfört med en korist som tränat upp körsjungandets elementa till automatik. / The purpose of the study was to examine and evaluate how the conductor most efficiently communicates information to the choristers through gestural language based on how the choristers distribute their attention and interpret the position of the conductor’s hands. The study also investigated if and how the distribution of attention and interpretation of a conductor’s gesticulation differs between choristers with different levels of experience in choral singing and musical education. Conducting is an ancient non-verbal mode of communication, and previous research shows that people mirror each other’s body language, the so-called chameleon effect. Coupled with knowledge of the function of the singers’ vocal apparatus, an overall picture of what information the choristers need from the conductor in order for the music to achieve the desired result is provided. The study was conducted through experiments on four choir groups with different levels of experience in choral singing and musical education, where a number of exercises were constructed to analyze how the singers distributed their attention between the conductor's hands, face and their own listening. To complement the experiment, an interview with an experienced professional choir conductor was made. The results showed both similarities and differences in the experimental groups' interpretation of gestures. Simpler gestures that clearly gives psychological associations of known emotions or behaviors, such as lifting something heavy, were intuitively interpreted in a similar way by all singers, while more choreographic gestures such as placing a consonant on a syncopated beat differed between the groups. This does not necessarily mean that less experienced singers are unable to read or understand certain gestures. The differences between the groups' interpretation of gestures were probably largely due to other factors, such as the fact that in a rehearsal context it may take longer for the inexperienced chorister to decipher the notes, find the right voice and breathing and intonate just. This means that they have less opportunity to concentrate on the conductor's gestures, in comparison with a chorister who has trained the basic elements of choral singing to automaticity. / <p>Information om examenskonserten</p><p>Repertoar:</p><p>Lux Aeterna (Rebecka Ryd)</p><p>I detta vita, outsagda (text Cecilia Lindemalm, musik Rebecka Ryd)</p><p>Hör på mig, ni fjärran länder (text Jesaja 49:1-2, musik Rebecka Ryd)</p><p>Visa vid vindens ängar (text och musik Mats Paulson, arr Rebecka Ryd)</p><p>Den blida vår är inne (text J O Wallin, A Frostenson, arr Rebecka Ryd)</p><p></p><p>Medverkande:</p><p>Rebecka Ryds Diskantensemble</p><p>Dante Fritzell, flöjt</p><p>Lisa Herlitz, oboe</p><p>Patricia Träff, klarinett</p><p>Zacharias Frato, horn</p><p>Fritz Fembro, fagott</p><p>Rebecka Ryd, dirigent och kompositör</p>

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Studiens syfte är att undersöka sånglärares syn på huruvida imitation kan vara ett verktyg eller hinder i sångutveckling och i strävan efter att hitta fram till ett eget röst-id. Det teoretiska ramverket i studien utgörs av diskursanalys med en diskursteoretisk ansats. Datainsamlingen har gjorts via kvalitativa intervjuer där sånglärarna har fått beskriva sin syn på imitation och röst-id och hur man som sånglärare formulerar sig när en sångelev imiterar. Informanterna har också fått beskriva vilka verktyg de kan ge eleverna i jakten på ett eget röst-id. Samtalen spelades in med ljud och transkriberades. Efter transkriptionen analyserades samtalen med hjälp av diskursanalys. I resultatet framträdde fyra olika diskursiva formationer i form av “Imitation som ljudhärmning”, “Imitationens baksida”, “Diskursen om röst-id” och slutligen “Hybrid- diskursen imitation och verktyg för röst-id”. Resultaten visade bland annat att det fanns en skillnad i hur sångpedagogerna från den klassiska profilen och sånglärarna med jazz och Contemporary Commercial Music-profil (CCM) såg på imitation då de förstnämnda såg imitation mer som ett hinder för röstutveckling. Enligt utsagorna om imitation så fanns det däremot likheter utöver genre-gränserna angående “vem” man härmar eller “hur” man härmar. De klassiska sånglärarna ansåg att röst-id var något som var förankrat i kroppen i första hand medan sånglärarna från jazz och CCM-profil verkade tycka att röst-id är ett tumavtryck och en igenkänning på röst, och att det musikaliska uttrycket är centralt för ett röst-id. När det kom till verktyg för att tillskansa sig en egen röstidentitet var jazz- och CCM-informanterna mer öppna för artificiella verktyg som inte har med det som redan finns naturligt i kroppen att göra utan de kunde istället tänka sig att leta impulser och intryck genom att ändra på de musikaliska förutsättningarna och där kunde imitationen ingå som ett av flera av dessa artificiella verktyg. / The focus of this study is to explore the perspectives of vocal instructors on the role of imitation in voice development and the pursuit of one's unique vocal identity. The theoretical underpinnings of this investigation employ discourse analysis using a discourse-theoretical approach. Data collection was conducted through qualitative interviews, where vocal instructors articulated their views on imitation, voice identity, and their approaches when a student engages in mimicry. The participants also shared the strategies they could provide to their students on the journey to discovering their unique vocal personas. The dialogues were audibly recorded and subsequently transcribed. Post-transcription, the interviews were subjected to discourse analysis. The analysis yielded four distinctive discursive formations, namely: "Imitation as Sound Imitation," "The Downside of Imitation," "The Discourse on Vocal Identity," and lastly "The Hybrid Discourse: Imitation and Tools for Vocal Identity." The results unveiled a disparity in perspectives between classical singing instructors and those teaching jazz and Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM). Particularly, the classical instructors were more inclined to view imitation as a barrier to vocal development, marking a distinctive contrast in pedagogical approach. The findings showed diverging viewpoints between instructors specializing in classical singing and those focused on jazz and Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM), especially regarding the role of imitation in vocal development. Classical instructors perceived imitation as more of a hindrance. However, beyond genre boundaries, there were similarities in the perspective on 'who' one imitates or 'how' one imitates. Classical instructors proposed that vocal identity was primarily anchored in the body. In contrast, jazz and CCM educators appeared to view vocal identity as a sonic signature, recognizing the voice and placing emphasis on musical expression as central to a vocal identity. When it came to tools for uncovering one's unique vocal identity, jazz and CCM participants demonstrated a greater openness towards non-natural methods. These educators were open to seeking influences and impressions to alter musical conditions, with imitation potentially serving as one of these artificial tools.

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Föreliggande arbete inriktar sig på att utifrån ett genusperspektiv undersöka hur sånglärares elevbemötande påverkas av elevens biologiska kön. Med hjälp av videoobservationer av lärarnas sångundervisning i kombination med semistrukturerade intervjuer med de observerade lärarna har olika teman framkommit i analysarbetet av lärarnas elevbemötande och uttalade uppfattningar kring kön och genus. Resultatet visar att den mest markanta skillnaden i lärarnas bemötande är hur mycket lärarna skrattar eller skämtar med eleverna. Lärarnas förhållningssätt till sångarens roll presenteras samt hur det påverkar lärarnas lektionsupplägg. Vidare behandlar resultatet hur det sociala samspelet mellan lärare och elev fungerar, hur uppmuntran och beröm ges samt hur lärarnas uppfattningar kring känslomässiga skillnader mellan pojkar och flickor tycks påverka sångundervisningen och lärarnas elevbemötande. I diskussionen behandlas bland annat hur genusordningen styrks genom såväl lärarnas elevbemötande som elevernas bemötande av lärarna samt hur normer och förväntningar färgar deras sociala interaktioner. / The purpose of the study is to, from a gender perspective, investigate how vocal teachers treatment of the student is affected by the student’s biological sex. With the help of video observations of the teachers vocal tutoring in combination with semi-structured interviews certain themes have emerged from the analysis of the teachers treatment of the students and stated views on sex and gender. The result shows that the most significant difference in the teacher’s attitude towards the students is the amount of teachers joke and laughter. The teachers approach towards the singers function is presented along with how that seems to affect the teachers approach towards vocal tutoring. The result also display how the social interaction appears between the teacher and students, how encouragement and praise is given and how the teachers perceptions on emotional distinctions between boys and girls are effecting the vocal tutoring and the teachers treatment of the students. In the chapter on discussion I present, among other things, how both teachers and students due to their attitude towards each other confirm the gender order and lastly how social structures and expectations affects their social interactions.

There is growing evidence to suggest that group singing in the community can have positive outcomes for physical and psychological wellbeing. To date, research has focused on adult populations. This study aimed to add to existing understanding of the impact group singing can have on children’s psychological wellbeing. A mixed method study was carried out to investigate the impact of a community group singing project on the psychological wellbeing of school children in the London area. Self-rated measures of psychological wellbeing and identity as a singer were administered to 60 children aged 7-11 at three time points. A teacher-rated measure of psychological difficulties was also administered. Finally, a sample of children discussed their experience of the project in focus groups and music teacher interviews were carried out. Quantitative data did not confirm the hypothesis that choir member’s psychological wellbeing would increase following participation in the singing project. Identity as a singer scores were higher for females than males, and correlated with scores of psychological wellbeing. Qualitative data provided evidence for a range of beneficial outcomes for children. Research limitations: The small number of participants recruited for the non-choir control group is a significant limitation of quantitative methods in this study. Originality: Although group singing appears to be a positive experience for children who participate, findings suggest the impact may be more subtle for children with high levels of psychological wellbeing.