Studies Show Singing is like Sex

As a general rule,  people would rather do it, then watch it.

Really !

While data on choral music specifically is hard to come by, a look at both NEA and Chorus America data discovers

•  over 18% of Americans sing in performance,
•  only 9% attend classical, performances 
•  1-2% attend choral music performances(estimate)

It's true that  people who sing are also the ones most likely to attend choral concerts, seemingly lending credence to the old matchmaker adage " like attracts like."  However, choral singers are also MORE likely to attend just about everything else as well! So it appears we marketers are sometimes talking to ourselves, and even ourselves are not listening.

Why might that be?

Well. without stretching the analogy to far, if something is more pleasureable to do then to watch, which would you choose?

This does not mean people do not find ways to listen and in ways that suit them the best. NEA data shows that different art forms work different ways. 

With the advent of digital media, and the power it provides in the area of convenience and choice,  the Choral Nation is finding new ways to engage in the arts with or without us.  The new monograph "Beyond Attendance" from the NEA explores how consumers are observing, creating, and/or engaging "virtually" in different art forms. It provides some excellent data based information to help you creatively tap consumers new habits. The study authored by Jennifer L. Novak-Leonard and Alan S. Brown of Wolf/Brown is available free from the NEA website by clicking here. 


That's it for the week Choral Nation. Hope it was helpful. Enjoy the weekend and
When in doubt SING OUT!