Validating and Piloting a Choral Educator Questionnaire: The Use of Culture Bearers and Pedagogical Implications of Singing in Multiple Timbres

Many educators strive to enact culturally relevant practices by introducing repertoire of various cultures and genres. One major barrier to this implementation includes the variety of vocal sounds inherent in traditions outside those generally presented in choral environments within the United States of America. In this study, I validated and piloted a choral educator questionnaire. I designed the survey to solicit information about the use of vocal pedagogy in the ensemble classroom. In the survey, I also asked about educators’ use of vocal pedagogy as related to issues of vocal health and teaching non-Classical repertoire. After reviewing methodologies used in prior choral education survey studies, I chose to validate the questionnaire through a cognitive interview process. This process yielded a revised questionnaire that a small sample of choral educators piloted. Results of these two phases culminated in a final questionnaire for use with a larger sample.