Empathy in the social & musical interactions of a community youth chorus: an instrumental case-study

Empathy, the feeling with another, has been a phenomenon discussed amongst scholars, philosophers, and psychologists since the late 19th century. Through the works of Edith Stein and Edward Titchener, we have begun to understand the pivotal role empathy plays in our ability to connect deeply with others, to understand their emotional and psychological perspectives, and in doing so, establish greater understandings of ourselves and the world around us. Daniel Batson and Nancy Eisenberg are two of the first researchers to consider how empathy might be present in the educational landscape, specifically looking at how teachers, peers, and parents can foster empathy capacities in young students to promote stronger compassionate and prosocial behaviors. Narrowing the scope even further into music ensemble spaces, scholars such as Felicity Laurence and Sarah Watts have noticed that children can employ empathy practices as they interact with various cultural music outside of their own traditions. Others such as Tal-Chen Rabinowitch also have discovered the importance of mirror neurons in rhythmic synchronicity and musical expression across members of an ensemble. However, little research has been presented on how the specific medium of choral music can potentially be a fertile ground for empathy. This instrumental case study aims to observe how empathy might be present in the social and musical interactions of an extracurricular community youth choral ensemble. This ensemble acts as a critical bounded system which has qualities that could lend itself to the observation of empathetic processes. Utilizing instrumental case study methodology and borrowing from grounded theory abductive analysis, I acted as both participant observer, director, and researcher, collecting data over the course of one semester in the fall of 2024. Utilizing an iterative three-tiered coding cycle, I presented findings that featured a five-pillar thematic model consisting of two major themes and three subthemes. Instruction and culture act both as foundational themes as well as vehicles for which to observe other social and musical interactions. The gathering and sharing of information, awareness as individuals and singers within an ensemble, and mine and the singers’ abilities for meaning-making all emerged from the data. The iterative analysis and consistent reengagement with the data also revealed a crucial realization in how my role as the director took on a primary role in fostering these social and musical interactions with the students. The abductive analysis revealed complementary themes with empathy theory, mainly in the presence of mirror neurons through rhythmic entrainment and internalization as well as guided perspective-taking activities that occurred primarily in the three focus groups held throughout the fall semester as well as in specific instructional moments during rehearsals. Although much more research is recommended to build a stronger understanding of empathy presence in youth choral ensembles, as well as potentially creating a theoretical model for which choral music educators can draw from to assist empathy development in their own musical spaces. My findings from this case study aims to continue a dialogue on how empathy is an integral component to the music making process and that as choral directors and educators, we can magnify these qualities in efforts to develop more empathetic and compassionate individuals.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music Education

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Stoor, Evan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sweet, Bridget
• Gallo, Donna
• Kruse, Adam
• Solya, Andrea

• Empathy
• Choral
• Youth
• Ensemble
• Music

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Evan Stoor

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132634

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/132634