Historical References to Prison Choirs
1838-1914
There are mentions of prison choirs as far back as the 1800s. Although there is not much detailed information, prison choirs are mentioned in a book and several newspapers. In 1838, upon hearing a prison choir in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, W.E. Hickson remarked "music may be regarded as a great moral engine, which when wisely directed, can produce the most beneficial results"(Cohen 2007a, p. 3). Roc Lee (2010) in his historical overview of music education in prisons references several articles, between 1866-1897, in The New York Times that refer to a prison choir at Sing Sing Prison directed by the chaplain, Rev. J. Byington Smith. The articles convey that the choir was fairly active in these years performing in concerts, for special occasions and for church services. Reverend Smith is quoted as saying, "We have been favored...through crime and misfortune, with some of the best musical talent, giving us a prison choir surpassed by few choirs in either city or country" (p.8). Lee also writes of an Oregon State Penitentiary prison choir mentioned in The Washington Post in 1892 in the story of a brother discovered in the choir by relatives who thought he was in the army. In another article from The Post, in 1914 a prison choir in Charleston State Prison is mentioned (p.8). In 1923, as part of his responsibilities as director of the committee, Van De Wall writes "Music in Correctional Institutions" which chronicals the use of and the benefits of music (including singing) in 4 New York correctional facilities. Van De Wall bases the writing on his theories that "music has a place in correctional institutions if it acts as a stimulant of constructive and socialzing energies...(and as) inducements and opportunities (for inmates) to concentrate themselves upon the task of expressing the better self along lines of aesthetic discipline and harmonious teamwork, thus enabling the anti-social and subnomoral individual to rise in actual conduct to a high level of self-expression and social behavior" (Van De Wall, 1924, p. 4).
Why Choral Music?
"The choir is a community with rules, relationships and purpose. When located in a prison, it takes on the therapeutic function of providing a protected space for expression and a context for reframing, even when its manifest goal is educational." (Silber, 2005)
"If you think about the concept of getting along in society, and getting along in a choir, there are a lot of similarities. In a choir you learn a sense of group responsibility. The choir can only be as good as the quality of how well people are participating. Consider the symbolism between offenders creating harmony with people from the community, when previously they made a decision that caused dis-harmony.” Mary Cohen
Participatory music making, and specifically choral singing has many psychological and social benefits that come about as a result of the experiences of music making in a choir. In the light of a rehabilitative view of incarceration with an emphasis on education and tools for reintegration into society as well as ways of managing oneself in prison in a non-violent way there are many aspects of being in a choir that can contribute to this goal of rehabilitation and reintegration. If you have been fortunate enough to be part of a group of musicians making music together, many of these aspects of choral singing will perhaps be self-evident. Laya Silber (2005) states a similar idea far more eloquently than myself when she says, "The power of group singing surges beyond what any words can describe-to penetrate the soul, to bind and enchant with a magic that no other group activity can quite achieve, Its tremendous ability to transport and transform is self-evident to anyone who has joined voices with others, whether around a campfire, at sporting events or in a religious service." In her experience as a choral conductor she has observed the many ways that group singing "affects people deeply by ehancing self-expression and evoking group cohesion" (p. 251).
The Current Studies
(See Bottom of Page for File)
A deeper look......
Choral Singing and Identity
In Mary Cohen's Oakdale Prison Community Chorus the inmates responed positively to the community members who came into the choir. They indicated through data collection that the volunteers' willingness and eagerness to work with them enhanced their self esteem. "Some explained that the participation of the outside singers makes them feel valued: 'It's nice to know there are people in the outside world who really care about us. It's nice to know we can be in a group and be accepted as a real person" (Cohen & Silverman, 2009, p. 204-205). Other inmates expressed similar sentiments, stating: "I have a much better attitude and feeling about myself inwardly since joinging the choir." "I feel less stressed, healthier, and happier with this choir in my life," "I am able to connect with a better side of myself." "Singing in the choir also has proven to me that if I put my mind into something I didn't think I could succeed in and take the chance, it can open the door to many possible opportunities" (p. 205).
In the East Hill Singers (directed by Elvera Voth) Bethel College Benefit Sing-Along (directed by Robert Shaw), a prisoner who spoke to the audience had this to say about what singing in the choir meant to him and his identity: "Six months ago I was 34046 singing in this Lansing choir. And today I am Frank Dominguez singing with some of the finest voices around accompanied by my wife and my five children....Through the furthering of this project, many men will benefit and what better way to help men reenter society rehabilitated then to allow them to participate in a program that aids in the building of high self esteem, confidence and a hope that may carry men through the rest of their lives as productive citizens in our society" (Cohen, 2008, p. 12) .
Laya Silber(2005) proposes that prisoners must be provided with experiences of "normative social situation(s)" in order to "develop a postive identity and indentification with society." (p. 255) The choir provides a non-criminal group in which the member may experience group dynamics. She suggests that this non-criminal context can serve as a framework for learning non-criminal behavior. The results of her study, based on interviews of the women, found that their experience in the choir "helped to alleviate depression, increase self-esteem, improve social interaction skills and induce cognitive stimulation"(p. 255)
Improving Family Relationships
In Cohen 2009 Inmates of the Choir reported that being a part of the choir helped give them things to talk with their family members about. In this choir families were able to come see the choir performance and/or they were given a CD of the performance. Cohen states that she has also received many thank you cards from family members of the prisoners in appreciation for their relative participationg in the choir ( Cohen, 2009) This same choir was empiracally tested in Cohen's study (2009) using the the Friedman Well-Being Scale (FWBS) to measure innmates that were a part of the choir and a control group of inmates that were not in the choir. She studied seperately, a choir of inmates and community volunteers that performed outside of the prison and a choir of inmates only who performed within the prison.
Abrahams, Rowland & Kohler (2102)
Frank Abrahams, Miranda M. Rowland, and Kristian C. Kohler wrote the article "Music Education Behind Bars: Giving Voice to the Inmates and the Students Who Teach Them" in 2012. Frank Abrahams is a professor of music education at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey and Miranda M. Rowland and Kristian C. Koheler are both junior music educaton majors. The pre-service teachers created and conducted a prison choir at a local prison (unnamed but thirty minutes from campus). The mission of the choir is "to move beyond barriers to create communities of hope that restore, enlighten, and transform lives through music.." They hope to provide the inmates with "an outlet...to express themselves, ot be in touch with their innate creatiivity, and through their singing to create something beautiful for which they can feel pride." (Abrahams, Rowland & Kohler, p. 67) Most of the inmates in the facility are between the ages of 18 and 30 years old and are there for an average of five years. The choir meets once a week for 75 minutes. Both students admit to being fearful and unsure upon entering the prison and their field assignment but both report a transformation of fear and doubt and a feeling of the inmates being more students than prisoners. There were some difficulties including prison rules that did not allow for pens or pencils, classroom instruments, or an iPod or speakers in the auditorium. For some rehearsals there was a piano depending on where they were able to practice. They also had difficulty with consistent attendance by inmates making each rehearsal "a singular event-not contingent upon what happened the week before." Through lesson planning the directors hope to engage the choir in building community, making music that has meaning and value to the men, and providing them with opportunities for sharing, improvising and performing. (Abrahams et al., p. 68) The rehearsal time begins with a short discussion about the music and follows with a welcome song such as "The Name Game" which they say "breaks the ice" and "makes everyone feel valued and welcome". (p. 68) The lesson plan includes expectations such as "keep a steady beat", "sustain own part while singing in a 3 part canon" using "Dona Nobis Pacem" and, "create original rap" using "Not Afraid" by Eminem as an example. The directors choose songs with a focus on "hope and a better life". (p. 70) Other songs used with the choir were "Freedom is Coming", "The Storm is Passing Over", "Peace Will Come One Day" and "Sixteen Tons".
1838-1914
There are mentions of prison choirs as far back as the 1800s. Although there is not much detailed information, prison choirs are mentioned in a book and several newspapers. In 1838, upon hearing a prison choir in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, W.E. Hickson remarked "music may be regarded as a great moral engine, which when wisely directed, can produce the most beneficial results"(Cohen 2007a, p. 3). Roc Lee (2010) in his historical overview of music education in prisons references several articles, between 1866-1897, in The New York Times that refer to a prison choir at Sing Sing Prison directed by the chaplain, Rev. J. Byington Smith. The articles convey that the choir was fairly active in these years performing in concerts, for special occasions and for church services. Reverend Smith is quoted as saying, "We have been favored...through crime and misfortune, with some of the best musical talent, giving us a prison choir surpassed by few choirs in either city or country" (p.8). Lee also writes of an Oregon State Penitentiary prison choir mentioned in The Washington Post in 1892 in the story of a brother discovered in the choir by relatives who thought he was in the army. In another article from The Post, in 1914 a prison choir in Charleston State Prison is mentioned (p.8). In 1923, as part of his responsibilities as director of the committee, Van De Wall writes "Music in Correctional Institutions" which chronicals the use of and the benefits of music (including singing) in 4 New York correctional facilities. Van De Wall bases the writing on his theories that "music has a place in correctional institutions if it acts as a stimulant of constructive and socialzing energies...(and as) inducements and opportunities (for inmates) to concentrate themselves upon the task of expressing the better self along lines of aesthetic discipline and harmonious teamwork, thus enabling the anti-social and subnomoral individual to rise in actual conduct to a high level of self-expression and social behavior" (Van De Wall, 1924, p. 4).
Why Choral Music?
"The choir is a community with rules, relationships and purpose. When located in a prison, it takes on the therapeutic function of providing a protected space for expression and a context for reframing, even when its manifest goal is educational." (Silber, 2005)
"If you think about the concept of getting along in society, and getting along in a choir, there are a lot of similarities. In a choir you learn a sense of group responsibility. The choir can only be as good as the quality of how well people are participating. Consider the symbolism between offenders creating harmony with people from the community, when previously they made a decision that caused dis-harmony.” Mary Cohen
Participatory music making, and specifically choral singing has many psychological and social benefits that come about as a result of the experiences of music making in a choir. In the light of a rehabilitative view of incarceration with an emphasis on education and tools for reintegration into society as well as ways of managing oneself in prison in a non-violent way there are many aspects of being in a choir that can contribute to this goal of rehabilitation and reintegration. If you have been fortunate enough to be part of a group of musicians making music together, many of these aspects of choral singing will perhaps be self-evident. Laya Silber (2005) states a similar idea far more eloquently than myself when she says, "The power of group singing surges beyond what any words can describe-to penetrate the soul, to bind and enchant with a magic that no other group activity can quite achieve, Its tremendous ability to transport and transform is self-evident to anyone who has joined voices with others, whether around a campfire, at sporting events or in a religious service." In her experience as a choral conductor she has observed the many ways that group singing "affects people deeply by ehancing self-expression and evoking group cohesion" (p. 251).
The Current Studies
(See Bottom of Page for File)
A deeper look......
Choral Singing and Identity
In Mary Cohen's Oakdale Prison Community Chorus the inmates responed positively to the community members who came into the choir. They indicated through data collection that the volunteers' willingness and eagerness to work with them enhanced their self esteem. "Some explained that the participation of the outside singers makes them feel valued: 'It's nice to know there are people in the outside world who really care about us. It's nice to know we can be in a group and be accepted as a real person" (Cohen & Silverman, 2009, p. 204-205). Other inmates expressed similar sentiments, stating: "I have a much better attitude and feeling about myself inwardly since joinging the choir." "I feel less stressed, healthier, and happier with this choir in my life," "I am able to connect with a better side of myself." "Singing in the choir also has proven to me that if I put my mind into something I didn't think I could succeed in and take the chance, it can open the door to many possible opportunities" (p. 205).
In the East Hill Singers (directed by Elvera Voth) Bethel College Benefit Sing-Along (directed by Robert Shaw), a prisoner who spoke to the audience had this to say about what singing in the choir meant to him and his identity: "Six months ago I was 34046 singing in this Lansing choir. And today I am Frank Dominguez singing with some of the finest voices around accompanied by my wife and my five children....Through the furthering of this project, many men will benefit and what better way to help men reenter society rehabilitated then to allow them to participate in a program that aids in the building of high self esteem, confidence and a hope that may carry men through the rest of their lives as productive citizens in our society" (Cohen, 2008, p. 12) .
Laya Silber(2005) proposes that prisoners must be provided with experiences of "normative social situation(s)" in order to "develop a postive identity and indentification with society." (p. 255) The choir provides a non-criminal group in which the member may experience group dynamics. She suggests that this non-criminal context can serve as a framework for learning non-criminal behavior. The results of her study, based on interviews of the women, found that their experience in the choir "helped to alleviate depression, increase self-esteem, improve social interaction skills and induce cognitive stimulation"(p. 255)
Improving Family Relationships
In Cohen 2009 Inmates of the Choir reported that being a part of the choir helped give them things to talk with their family members about. In this choir families were able to come see the choir performance and/or they were given a CD of the performance. Cohen states that she has also received many thank you cards from family members of the prisoners in appreciation for their relative participationg in the choir ( Cohen, 2009) This same choir was empiracally tested in Cohen's study (2009) using the the Friedman Well-Being Scale (FWBS) to measure innmates that were a part of the choir and a control group of inmates that were not in the choir. She studied seperately, a choir of inmates and community volunteers that performed outside of the prison and a choir of inmates only who performed within the prison.
Abrahams, Rowland & Kohler (2102)
Frank Abrahams, Miranda M. Rowland, and Kristian C. Kohler wrote the article "Music Education Behind Bars: Giving Voice to the Inmates and the Students Who Teach Them" in 2012. Frank Abrahams is a professor of music education at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey and Miranda M. Rowland and Kristian C. Koheler are both junior music educaton majors. The pre-service teachers created and conducted a prison choir at a local prison (unnamed but thirty minutes from campus). The mission of the choir is "to move beyond barriers to create communities of hope that restore, enlighten, and transform lives through music.." They hope to provide the inmates with "an outlet...to express themselves, ot be in touch with their innate creatiivity, and through their singing to create something beautiful for which they can feel pride." (Abrahams, Rowland & Kohler, p. 67) Most of the inmates in the facility are between the ages of 18 and 30 years old and are there for an average of five years. The choir meets once a week for 75 minutes. Both students admit to being fearful and unsure upon entering the prison and their field assignment but both report a transformation of fear and doubt and a feeling of the inmates being more students than prisoners. There were some difficulties including prison rules that did not allow for pens or pencils, classroom instruments, or an iPod or speakers in the auditorium. For some rehearsals there was a piano depending on where they were able to practice. They also had difficulty with consistent attendance by inmates making each rehearsal "a singular event-not contingent upon what happened the week before." Through lesson planning the directors hope to engage the choir in building community, making music that has meaning and value to the men, and providing them with opportunities for sharing, improvising and performing. (Abrahams et al., p. 68) The rehearsal time begins with a short discussion about the music and follows with a welcome song such as "The Name Game" which they say "breaks the ice" and "makes everyone feel valued and welcome". (p. 68) The lesson plan includes expectations such as "keep a steady beat", "sustain own part while singing in a 3 part canon" using "Dona Nobis Pacem" and, "create original rap" using "Not Afraid" by Eminem as an example. The directors choose songs with a focus on "hope and a better life". (p. 70) Other songs used with the choir were "Freedom is Coming", "The Storm is Passing Over", "Peace Will Come One Day" and "Sixteen Tons".
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