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The Choir as Garden

The Choir as Garden:

A Dynamic, Singer-Centered
A Dynamic, Singer-Centered

Approach to Choral Leadership
Approach to Choral Leadership

Jennifer C. Hutton
Jennif er Hutton

oday’s choral educators often prioritize
relational goals for singers as they strive to foster
Tpositive experiences of belonging, relationship-
members can lose positive rewards of group sing-
building, and community. Such
Today’s choral educators often articulate goals goals reflect a person-
that prioritize positive relational experiences for ing that leaders ostensibly intend to foster.
centered approach that values singers’ experiences as
singers. Many educators strive to foster positive This article presents a metaphor of the choir as
much as (or more than) the music they present.
experiences of belonging, relationship-building, a garden to help educators align their practices
Despite choral leaders’ intentions, singers’ experiences
and community. Such goals reflect a relational, with the relational, singer-centered values they
person-centered approach that values singers’ often hold. The Garden Model frames teach-
do not always reflect the relational, person-centered values
experiences as much as (or more than) the music er-conductors as cultivators of conditions that
that leaders espouse. Researchers have identified barriers
they present. Despite choral leaders’ intentions, allow singers to develop and grow. When indi-
to singers’ positive experiences including requirements that
singers’ experiences do not always reflect the viduals’ varied growth is fostered, singers can be
singers mold themselves to a conductor’s musical vision
relational, person-centered values that leaders emboldened to function as an interdependent
and the use of repetitive rehearsal techniques focused on
espouse. Researchers have identified barriers to ecosystem that is more than the sum of its parts.
singers’ positive experiences including require- The first part of the article situates the model
technical perfection. When teacher-conductors prioritize
1
ments that singers mold themselves to a con- in the context of my own experience as a leader
musical results more than singers’ experiences, ensemble
ductor’s musical vision and the use of repetitive working with a new group.
members can lose positive rewards of group singing that
rehearsal techniques focused on technical perfec-
leaders ostensibly intend to foster.
tion. When teacher-conductors prioritize musical
results more than singers’ experiences, ensemble

Jennifer C. Hutton
Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
huttonj@uwm.edu

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 23