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Research Report

the same. Reflective practice is often done after an event, ing this rehearsal, you reflect on the experience, and
rehearsal, or interaction has ended. It involves looking you decide to begin the next rehearsal by presenting
back on an experience to examine what went well and information about various social movements that have
what might be done differently in the future. Taken occurred in your local and national context.
critically, reflective practice can also include an exami- In the next rehearsal, you share your research with
nation of why certain choices were made and a deliber- the ensemble. One singer raises their hand and offers
ate exploration of whose experiences and voices were to share their story as a member of one of those social
honored. Reflexive practice occurs in the moment and movements. You grow concerned, as you had not allot-
involves an individual’s ability to evaluate a situation ted time for a long story, and you ask the singer to hold
and make changes while the experience is occurring. their thought for another time. Following rehearsal, you
This may include adapting a rehearsal plan, changing reflect on the experience, realizing that by not respond-
how one is dialoguing with others, or expressing vul- ing reflexively in the moment, you may have missed an
nerability in response to something that is occurring. opportunity to support and honor the lived experiences
Thinking reflectively and reflexively about so- of individuals within the group. The next rehearsal,
cial change requires a commitment to move beyond you acknowledge your misstep and deliberately cre-
“checking the diversity box” through overly simplistic ate space for this singer to share their experiences. In
actions. Within choral settings, examples of simplistic the process, the singers begin drawing connections be-
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actions might include programming a single piece of tween the story and the lines in the song, expressing a
literature by a composer of color (or solely for a Black/ deepening awareness of how they are making meaning
Latinx/Women/etc. History Month Concert) in order through this music. As a result, the musical experience
to meet diversity expectations. Social change requires a is richer.
commitment to realizing that every action and decision Throughout the example above, practices of reflex-
plays into a larger purpose. ivity and reflection helped keep the singers at the fore-
Repertoire can, and often does, play a foundational front of the experience, centering them as they grew in
role in supporting social change goals. Imagine pro- their understanding of the various ways they fit into the
gramming “One Foot/Lead with Love” by Melanie larger world. Choosing to acknowledge rather than shy
DeMore from the Justice Choir Songbook. You believe away from a misstep provided a model of the power
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that engaging with this piece of music will support of vulnerability for singers. While not every piece you
singers’ awareness of social movements throughout explore throughout the year may be as directly related
the world. To begin, you distribute the music and in- to social change as this one, learning to honor lived
vite students to sightread using solfège, just as you experience, support vulnerability, and create space for
do with most pieces. Singers are used to this process. connections through dialogue are all practices that live
One singer shares that this song feels more call-and- on beyond this particular context. As such, the ensem-
response in nature and suggests they might learn the ble moves toward a realization that social change is not
song as such. Calling upon reflexive practice may lead something to be strived for through a singular piece of
you to acknowledge the singer’s comment and switch, music or concert cycle, but rather it is something em-
in the moment, to call-and-response. You notice that bedded as a part of everyday life.
the singers are watching you model and, as your energy
rises in the call, their energy also rises in the response.
In this example, embracing reflexivity involved tak- What Could Community
ing a step back from predetermined pedagogical prac- Look Like in Choral Spaces?
tices to support the learning and interest of the individ- Community is critically important to understanding
uals in the room. Further, this decision also supported social change in choral spaces. While community can
a way of teaching and learning that better aligned with involve engaging beyond the ensemble (see next sec-
the social movements that inspired the piece. Follow- tion), community can also be understood as the ways in

28 CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2024 Volume 65 Number 4