abcd Choral Research Journal is a green route open access peer-reviewed academic research journal published by the Association of British Choral Directors with the aim of promoting research informed practice and a scholarly approach to all aspects the leadership of collective singing.
Submissions for Volume 3, to be published during 2022, are now invited. Volume 3 will have two special themes:
• Historically informed performance
• Scientifically informed performance
We wish to receive papers that will encourage abcd members and others to engage period resources and approaches when planning programmes, whether renaissance, baroque or later. This might include period instruments; it might include historic performing pitches, it might include using the performer resources that were available at the time, period performing conventions, even historic costumes! The role of the performance director would certainly be of interest. Would there even have been a conductor, or would the performance have been coordinated from the keyboard, or by one of the singers? What might be the effect on a choir that is used to a conductor of direction from the keyboard?
Similarly, we wish to encourage awareness of how the latest scientific research into choral singing might challenge current approaches or encourage experimentation. The research might be related to the singers themselves. For example, does the introduction of accent method breathing affect performance quality? What is research telling us about singers at different times of their lives? The journal has published much on children's voices, but what about aging voices? Do male and female voices age differently? It might be related to acoustic properties of the venue, for example, layout, spacing and number of singers became a topic of interest during the covid restrictions Do we still need paper music copies? What innovations have been tried with tablet computers, for example?
Papers are also welcome at any time covering other aspects of choral singing that fall within the remit of the journal. You can find a sample list here; the list is indicative, not exhaustive.
Please refer to our journal web pages for further information and instructions on how to submit an article.
Posted: Thu 31st March 2022