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Collected Item: “Dr. Arianne Abela Oral History, 2022/04/14”

Title

Interview with Dr. Arianne Abela

Who conducted the interview? List all names, separated by comma.

Marie Fagan, Ansley Keane

Who was interviewed? List all names, separated by commas.

Arianne Abela

Email Address(es) for all interviewers. Separated by comma.

mfagan22@amherst.edu, keane24a@mtholyoke.edu

If this oral history is related to research conducted in association with an institution (e.g. a museum, university, library), please include the name of the institution. If you are a faculty member or student conducting research, please provide the name of your school.

Amherst College

Use one-word hashtags (separated by commas) to describe your oral history. For example: Where did it originate? How does this object make you feel? How does this object relate to the pandemic?

#choir, #community, #virtual, #performances, #art, #singing, #college, #university

What is the format of your recording?

Audio

In what ZIP code is the primary residence of the interviewee? (enter 5-digit ZIP code; for example, 00544 or 94305)? In what city/town/village does the interviewee live? In what country does the interviewee live? All comma-separated.

01002, Amherst, MA, USA

Describe the oral history.

This interview is one in a series of three oral histories that focus on the value of community throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. In this interview we hear from Dr. Arianne Abela, the Director of the Amherst College Choral Society. She describes the challenges of working to maintain a sense of community amongst choral students in a virtual environment, and the strained experience of transitioning back into an in-person choral experience. Lamenting the loss that this period was characterized by, she celebrates the role that choral singing plays today as we transition into a more in-person experience. She highlights how choir music has the power to bring people together in such hard times, as well as providing a voice to underrepresented identities particularly amidst the country’s social justice awakening. This interview was conducted by Marie Fagan and Ansley Keane. Marie is a senior member of the choral society under Dr. Arianne Abela’s direction.

On what date did you record this oral history?

2022-04-14
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