Virtual Exchange Joins Choirs from UNC Charlotte and Japanese University

The UNC Charlotte Women’s Chorus, The Charlotteans, recently spent two weeks in a virtual exchange with choral students from Tohoku University, a UNC Charlotte institutional exchange partner since 2014. Through Zoom, the two choirs met for joint rehearsals and group discussions and together have created a combined performance.

According to Department of Music Chair Joe Skillen, Tohoku University, a top institution in Japan, “wanted to explore how our choirs function on an interdisciplinary campus, receive some vocal coaching, and have an international musical experience.” The original hope was for an in-person cultural exchange, but the ongoing pandemic required that the program be virtual. Skillen connected the Japanese choir to Ginger Wyrick, who leads The Charotteans, voice professor Dr. Sequina DuBose, and Assistant Professor of Directing Laura Waringer to offer a series of music and musical theater workshops.

In addition to vocal coachings and rehearsals, the combined student group had two intercultural discussions, said Wyrick.

“The first explored personal and cultural perspectives experienced through singing in a choir, considering the benefits learned from this collaborative endeavor. The second discussion considered the art of listening. Successful choristers are constantly listening to one another, blending and altering sounds to match the desired tone. Our discussion expanded this concept, exploring what we learn about ourselves and about one another by listening, and what are the community benefits of this listening.”

At the end of the September 12-24 exchange period, the combined choir created a virtual performance of an arrangement of the American folksong, “How Can I Keep From Singing?” Additionally, the Tohoku University students taught the UNC Charlotte students one song from their culture.

“The partnership with Tohoku University has been a great opportunity for us to share musical experiences from our culture with the students from Japan,” said Bianca Muñoz, a UNC Charlotte music major and Vice President of The Charlotteans. “As a music education student, the experience has taught me so much about the benefits of intercultural collaboration, and I’ve learned so much from leading sectional rehearsals with such a diverse group of singers.”