WP3 aims to conduct a rigorous comparative analysis of collective singing in Scandinavia and the Baltics. The objective is twofold: 1) to analyze existing survey data (Agersnap et al. 2023; Danmarks Statistik 2021; Knigge 2021; Lake 2017; Lauristin & Vihalemm 2013; Sveriges Körförbund 2024; Sørensen et al. 2021; Theorell 2020; Thue 2021) to understand the current landscape of collective singing habits and attitudes towards the phenomenon; and 2) to unveil well-versed singing practitioners’ view upon the social potential of collective singing. This comprehensive approach seeks to uncover both positive and negative connotations associated with communal singing, pursuing insight into collective singing’s complex role in shaping social cohesion, identity, and cultural narratives.

The analysis will focus on identifying patterns, trends, and variances in collective singing practices and their societal implications, paying special attention to how these practices are intertwined with national identities and social cohesion.  WP3 will also conduct a line of semi-structured, qualitative interviews among participants at AP European Choir Games Aarhus event (2025) and AP The Latvian National Song Festival (2025) unveiling dedicated singers’ view upon the social potential of collective singing. 

The interviews will be transcribed to facilitate a comprehensive thematic analysis that synthesizes both sets of data in order to discern region-specificity in singing traditions across the two regions.

Impact: By employing a contemporary and comparative lens, WP3 promises to reveal the nuanced ways in which collective singing acts as a barometer of social cohesion, cultural identity, and societal tensions today.

This WP is led by Rūta Muktupāvela.