Rural Community Singing from the Heart (Uonuma)
摘要
The goal of the singing group in Uonuma was aimed at singing for fun rather than for concert performance. Participants, mostly over 70 years old, met twice per month. We observed the group and conducted semi-structured interviews and a survey. We found that the group was an important and rare avenue for such activity in the rural town located in one of the heaviest snow areas in the winter. Although the priority was to sing their favorite songs, participants tried to improve their singing skills and master new songs, which were the main source of motivation to participate. Another important finding is that human relationships, such as respect for the teacher, compassion for others, and mutual support, played a significant role in the group. Unfortunately, this group has become inactive due to COVID measures and has not resumed at the time of this writing.