Music Outreach, Social Inclusion and Human Flourishing: Evaluating the Liverpool Cathedral Schools Singing Programme

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Krueger Bridge, S orcid iconORCID: 0000-0001-8587-5719 (2026) Music Outreach, Social Inclusion and Human Flourishing: Evaluating the Liverpool Cathedral Schools Singing Programme. British Journal of Music Education. pp. 1-20. ISSN 0265-0517

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Abstract

This article evaluates the educational, cultural, social and wellbeing value of the Liverpool Cathedral Schools Singing Programme (SSP) as a catalyst for human flourishing among primary-aged children in one of the UK’s most socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, including ethnographic observation, reflexive pupil choir journals, stakeholder interviews and parental questionnaires, the study examines the transformative potential of cathedral-based choral outreach for children from communities with limited access to high-quality music education. Theoretically anchored in Hesmondhalgh's (2013) sociocultural framework of human flourishing, and informed by music education and community music scholarship, the article argues that structured, inclusive choral participation can nurture children’s musical development, cultural capital, emotional resilience and social cohesion, contributing meaningfully to their holistic development. The findings offer implications for music education policy and practice, and for the evolving civic role of cathedral institutions as agents of cultural inclusion and community renewal.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy; 1303 Specialist Studies in Education; 1904 Performing Arts and Creative Writing; 3603 Music; 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
Subjects: M Music and Books on Music > M Music
M Music and Books on Music > MT Musical instruction and study
Divisions: Humanities and Social Science
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date of acceptance: 6 July 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access: 18 August 2026
Date Deposited: 07 Jul 2026 09:48
Last Modified: 18 Aug 2026 13:04
DOI or ID number: 10.1017/S0265051726100977
URI: https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28962
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