ABSTRACT
The South Side Choir was situated in a predominantly African American community. Teacher-conductor Lionel Mitchell’s descriptions of the community focused on its positive attributes: organizations that provided valuable services, community leaders who inspired the neighborhood’s youth, public school teachers and administrators who were “exceptional,” and students who were “ready to sing” and “excited to learn.” Zoey, a precocious and gregarious fifth grader, was one of the first singers to join the South Side Choir. She described herself as “smart” and “inspirational,” emphasizing that she’s “got swagger.” One choral experience Zoey identified as being responsive to her cultural identity was her study of the South African anti-apartheid song, “Thula Sizwe.” Singers in the South Side Choir preferred vocal models that shared their race, ethnicity, and gender, findings consistent with prior researchers’ observations.
