abcd Choral Research Journal

The abcd Choral Research Journal is a peer-reviewed academic research journal published by abcd with the aim of promoting research informed practice and a scholarly approach to all aspects of collective singing. Since 2023, there have been no discrete volumes or issues. Articles are published immediately as open-access on completion of the peer-review and proof-reading processes.

All articles are double-blind peer reviewed after initial scrutiny for suitability by the editor-in-chief. Reviewers may be members of the editorial board or recognised scholars whose work in a similar field to that of the submission has previously been published in the journal.

There is no Article Processing Charge (APC) for abcd members. Non-members wishing to submit articles may either pay an APC equivalent to one year's abcd subscription or become members.

Authors are strongly encouraged to present their work and engage with choral practitioners through presenting in research strands at abcd's national events, or where appropriate on-line through abcd's webinars.

Articles are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.

The journal adheres to the ethical code of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). For fuller details of the submission and review process, go to the information for authors.

The journal covers all aspects of choral singing and choir work, including the following indicative (not exhaustive) list:

  • Conducting technique and choir direction
  • Conductor training and development
  • Management of choirs
  • Choral Acoustics
  • Choral pedagogy
  • Vocal technique and the healthy use of the choral voice
  • Singing and wellbeing
  • Programme planning and concert arrangement
  • Recruitment of singers
  • Historically informed performance
  • Education, schooling and youth choirs
  • Elder choirs and care in the community
  • Musical literacy
  • Choral genres - from early music to 'pop'
  • Choral composing and the commissioning of works
  • Neuroscience and choral singing
  • Social identity and choral singing, including gender, class and ethnicity.

The editor-in-chief is Professor Martin Ashley who is a member of the abcd Board of Trustees.

Current members of the editorial board are:

Find out more about the journal and read previous issues and new articles (currently in preparation) by clicking on the various links to the right or below. You can also read about the importance of research in an article by the Editor-in-Chief, Professor Martin Ashley, here.

Find out more about submitting an article here.

Issue One, May 2020

Issue Two, October 2021

Click on the title to view contents. These issues are both public domain.

COVID-19 research

Research paper on the impact of the COVID 19 virus on choral activity in the UK

In May 2020 abcd published a research paper on the impact of the COVID 19 virus on choral activity in the UK.

The report, prepared by Professor Martin Ashley, an abcd trustee, provided an important survey of research into the thinking at the time about how choirs and conductors might resume rehearsing and performing. You can find the paper here.