Why have male voice community choirs become more popular in the UK and beyond in recent years? How are they playing with norms of masculinity? Why is it that choirs often struggle to recruit men? What impact can they have on men’s lives and wellbeing? How are they helping men to connect and find community? And can they help us to build gender equality? In our Christmas Special for 2024, we explore these issues and more with Dom Stichbury.

Dom is a choir director, singer, songwriter, arranger, and group singing advocate. He’s the founder and artistic director of London-based groups Chaps Choir and Bellow Fellows, one half of vocal duo Ben and Dom (who do shows and run workshops around the UK), and a member of Oaken (a quartet of singers and choir leaders). He also performs with the Australian-based Spooky Men's Chorale.

The episode features recordings of three Chaps Choir’s performances:

• ‘Alilo’: https://soundcloud.com/chapschoir/sets/chaps-choir-live-union-chapel
• ‘Now is time’: https://open.spotify.com/track/3eVsnZrmVwM0asAJOxwCub
• ‘Drop of shanty’: https://open.spotify.com/track/0GB0HIzocneuONyhxehdIw?si=c0fb1d6bc2bd4344

Find out more about Dom’s work:

• http://www.dominicstichbury.com
• http://www.chapschoir.com
• https://www.bellowfellows.com
• https://www.benanddom.com
• https://www.oakenharmony.com
• https://spookymen.com

Episode timeline:

• ‘Alilo’ + Intro (00:00-02:27)
• The story of Chaps Choir and Bellow Fellows (02:27-04:32)
• The wider phenomena of male voice community choirs (04:32-06:01)
• International examples and subverting masculinity (06:01-07:24)
• Recruiting men (07:24-09:52)
• How the groups have shifted (09:52-11:54)
• The benefits of being part of a choir (11:54-16:25)
• Becoming more attuned with our bodies (16:25-18:00)
• Differences between mixed and men’s groups (18:00-20:04)
• Making groups inclusive (20:04-22:53)
• Encouraging people to sing together in settings like prisons (22:53-25:13)
• Why men are less likely to join choirs (25:13-29:00)
• Football chanting (29:00-31:14)
• Expressing emotion and vulnerability (31:14-35:52)
• ‘Now is time’ (32:34-36:52)
• The potential for choirs to promote change (36:52-39:42)
• Which groups of men (don’t) take part (39:42-44:25)
• Bringing a diverse group together (44:25-46:15)
• Forging friendships and community (46:15-48:15)
• Singing during Covid-19 (48:15-50:39)
• How Dom started singing (50:39-53:40)
• ‘Drop of shanty’ (53:17-55:05)
• Conclusion (54:32-01:01:25)

More info:

• The Best Sing Since Sliced Bread: https://www.bestsingsince.co.uk
• Huutajat: https://www.huutajat.org/en/
• Research by Emily Falconer - ‘In harmony or out of tune: Affective and emotional geographies of all-male choirs in London, UK’: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2022.100925
• Singing in the Shed: https://www.singingintheshed.co.uk
• Philip Read: https://www.philipread.net/
• Blokefest: https://www.blokefest.net
• Manchoir: http://manchoir.co.uk
• ‘True colours’, Manchoir: https://youtu.be/8tioUZghMQY
• ‘Will you still love me tomorrow’, Bellow Fellows: https://youtu.be/qgRuVkmwXrI
• Find a choir: https://www.naturalvoice.net
• 'Glorious Rabble', Extinction Rebellion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Qmiyn68Es