Anne Haugland Balsnes

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Selås, Magnhild (2026). "Det var så kleint, men på en god måte". Lærerstudenter, begynneropplæring og sangtrygghet. Tidlig – Tidsskrift for Lærerutdanning og grunnopplæring. 1(1), p. 43–43. doi: 10.15845/tidlig.v1i1.4947. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sang har historisk sett hatt en viktig plass i den norske skolen, men sangaktivitet er i dag lite synlig i læreplaner og er ikke lenger timeplanfestet som eget fag. I læreplanene for musikk, engelsk og norsk er imidlertid sang fremdeles nevnt. Lærerne spiller en nøkkelrolle når det gjelder å fremme sang i skolen. På tross av dette har sang gradvis blitt mindre vektlagt i lærerutdanningen. Det er ikke lenger et krav å ta studiepoeng i musikk, og få studenter velger musikkfordypning. Undersøkelser viser at den viktigste årsaken til at lærerstudenter ser for seg at de ikke kommer til å ta i bruk sang i sin fremtidige yrkespraksis, er at de ikke føler seg komfortable med å lede sang, siden det ikke har vært en del av utdanningen. Med dette som bakgrunn undersøkte vi om et undervisningsopplegg knyttet til sang i lærerutdanningens begynneropplæring kunne føre til økt sangtrygghet blant kommende lærere, slik at de ser for seg å bruke sang i sitt senere virke som lærere. Erfaringene fra prosjektet viste at studentene ser verdien av sang i skolen, men at det er utfordrende å gjøre dem “sangtrygge”. «It was so awkward, but in a good way» – Student teachers, early education, and confidence in singing  Singing has historically held an important place within Norwegian schooling, but singing activities are today only marginally represented in curriculum documents and are no longer scheduled as an independent subject. In the curriculum for music, English and in the Norwegian language curriculum, however, singing is still mentioned. Teachers play a key role in promoting singing in schools. Despite this, singing has gradually been given less emphasis in teacher education. There is no longer any requirement for generalist student teachers to earn credits in music, and few students choose to specialize in the subject. Studies show that the main reason student teachers do not expect to use singing in their future professional practice is that they do not feel comfortable leading singing, since it has not been part of their training. Against this backdrop, we examined whether a teaching intervention on singing in early primary years teacher education could increase student teachers’ confidence in using singing, so that they envision using it in their future work as teachers. The results from the project showed that the student teachers recognize the value of singing in schools, but that it remains challenging to make them confident singers in the classroom.  Key words : singing confidence;  student teachers; early primary education; self-efficacy; practitioner research 

• Jansson, Dag; Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Norevik, Oda Marita Netteland (2026). Choral leadership research 1996–2024: A scoping review. Research Studies in Music Education. ISSN 1321-103X. 48(1), p. 108–126. doi: 10.1177/1321103X261428698. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study reviewed research on choral conducting that has been published since 1996. The review was done partly as a full scan of key journals in the period 1996–2024 and partly as a keyword search in Google Scholar and Scopus. A total of 406 potential records were identified. We applied a series of exclusion criteria to reduce the number of articles for further scrutiny. We chose to focus solely on empirical research, leaving conceptual and tutorial writing out of scope. Only research that specifically addressed the choral conductor role was included, albeit with a wide look at the behaviours and competences involved. Doctoral and master theses were not included. Several adjacent research domains were also left out, such as biographies, choir sociology, singing and health, and band/orchestra conducting. Applying these criteria, we were left with 94 records. These were organised into six categories: (1) conductor gestures and communicative means, (2) choral repertoire and choir culture, (3) rehearsing process and methodology, (4) staging of choir and spacing of singers, (5) guiding and motivating singers, and (6) conductor education, development, and identity. The largest and most coherent body of research was found in the sub-field of gestures and communicative means. But even here, there was a challenge with contextualisation and compatibility, calling for unifying concepts and replication of experiments. The scholarly quality of research surveyed in our study seemed to have improved from previous reviews. However, the research field overall remains fragmented, and there are still only a few clusters of experienced researchers who publish regularly.

• Knigge, Jens & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2026). Contextual and dispositional predictors of student teachers’ intended use of singing in the classroom: A national survey in Norway. Research Studies in Music Education. ISSN 1321-103X. 0(0), p. 1–21. doi: 10.1177/1321103x261418441. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the contextual and dispositional factors influencing student teachers’ intended use of singing in their future classroom practice. Utilising a national survey of 466 final-year student teachers in Norway, we examined the impact of early experiences, teacher education, and attitudes towards singing using regression analysis. Drawing on Blömeke and Kaiser’s and Kunter et al.’s models of teacher professional competence, we investigated how contextual and dispositional factors contribute to student teachers’ self-perceived competence and motivation to incorporate singing into classroom activities. The results indicate significant differences between music-specialist (MUS) and generalist (PSE) student teachers, with MUS students reporting stronger intentions to include singing than PSE peers. Across both groups, two predictors were consistently associated with higher intentions: the personal relevance of singing during primary schooling and beliefs about the value of singing. The findings emphasise the importance of both formal and informal educational experiences in shaping the readiness of future teachers to integrate singing into their practice.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Ellefsen, Live Weider & Knigge, Jens (2025). Singing practices in Norwegian schools – a synthesis of three survey studies. Nordic Research in Music Education. 6, p. 189–214. doi: 10.23865/nrme.v6.6901. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of this article is to describe how singing is practiced in the Norwegian school system and to facilitate a critical discussion of its function in the Norwegian welfare society. Based on three surveys of singing in Norwegian schools in years 1–10, the findings reveal that both music teachers and general teachers, as well as student teachers in music and in general teacher education, often emphasize singing as crucial for social inclusion and individual development within music education. However, their actual classroom practice shows that singing is rarely integrated beyond music lessons or special occasions. This contrasts with national curricula emphasizing the social and aesthetic value of singing, challenging educators to critically assess when and how singing should be used in schools to ensure inclusion.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Knigge, Jens & Strøm, Regine Vesterlid (2025). Lærerstudenters erfaringer, kompetanser, holdninger og legitimeringsargumenter knyttet til sang. In Elle, Øystein; Warem, Øystein Sverre; Thorstensen, Jon Sverre & Hovde, Sunniva Skjøstad (Ed.), Musikkfagets kompleksitet og bredde – nye praksiser i et sammensatt samfunn. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202840242. p. 123–157. doi: 10.23865/cdf.240.ch5. Full text in Research Archive
• Jansson, Dag; Døving, Erik & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Serious musicking: choral pedagogy in ‘low-threshold’ choirs. Music Education Research. ISSN 1461-3808. 26(4), p. 417–431. doi: 10.1080/14613808.2024.2365722. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The voice plays a paradoxical role – it is inclusive because everyone has one, and it is exclusive as it is used to falsely separate ‘singers’ and ‘non-singers’. A new choral movement has emerged, with a low threshold for participation and inclusive practices, where one of the early offerings was Everyone Can Sing (ECS) in Norway. As a low-threshold choir, it focused on solid vocal training as well as the advanced features of the music. This study investigates to what extent this blended choral pedagogy is realised and differs from more traditional choirs. A quantitative analysis of ECS singers (N = 495) was done, comparing it with a more experienced choir (N = 81) and elite choirs (N = 106). The results show that a blended approach in low-threshold-choirs is possible and that attention to musical refinement grows with experience. The article positions such low-threshold choirs within key choral pedagogic positions.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Singing for Singing's Sake? Community Singing in Norwegian Schools. In Morgan-Ellis, Esther & Kay, Norton (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Community Singing. Oxford University Press. ISSN 9780197612460. p. 295–314. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197612460.013.16. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). "Sølvstrupene er den beste gaven livet har gitt meg etter at jeg ble pensjonist!" Korsang i den tredje alder. In Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (Ed.), Samsang gjennom livsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202716356. p. 301–326. doi: 10.23865/noasp.162.ch11. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne antologien omhandler samsang i ulike livsfaser og sammenhenger i en skandinavisk kontekst. Samsang utgjør en vesentlig del av vår felles kulturarv. Samsang, som innebærer alle former for sang der mennesker synger sammen, karakteriserer på ulike måter menneskelig samvær gjennom hele livsløpet, fra vugge til grav. Med et kritisk analytisk blikk belyser forskningsarbeidene i antologien varierte tematikker omkring samsangpraksisens betydning og verdi for meningsskaping og opplevelse av sammenheng i livet knyttet til musikalske, fysiske, psykiske, emosjonelle, kognitive, etiske, kulturelle og sosiale faktorer. Undersøkelsene innbefatter blant annet sangens stilling i norske barnehager og skoler, samsang og helserelaterte temaer, samsang i et kjønnsperspektiv, samsang i et flerkulturelt perspektiv, samsangaktiviteter i lys av mestring og motivasjon, samt hverdagslige samsangaktiviteter for personer med demens og deres pårørende. Korsang i ulike livsfaser, fra oppvekstår til pensjonsalder, tematiseres også i flere kapitler. Med sin bredt anlagte og pluralistiske tilnærming, gir antologien et mangesidig bidrag til kunnskapsutviklingen på det musikkpedagogiske området knyttet til samsangens kraft og legitimitet både på individ-, gruppe- og samfunnsnivå. Forfatterne har erfaring som praktikere og forskere fra høyere utdanning innen musikkpedagogikk, utøvende musikk, musikkterapi, musikk og helse og musikalske praksiser i det frie kunst- og kulturfeltet.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Jansson, Dag (2022). «Jeg kan ikke bli musikklærer hvis jeg ikke kan synge foran klassen min»: Korsang i lærerutdanningen og utvikling av individuell sangtrygghet. In Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (Ed.), Samsang gjennom livsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202716356. p. 199–228. doi: 10.23865/noasp.162.ch7. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne antologien omhandler samsang i ulike livsfaser og sammenhenger i en skandinavisk kontekst. Samsang utgjør en vesentlig del av vår felles kulturarv. Samsang, som innebærer alle former for sang der mennesker synger sammen, karakteriserer på ulike måter menneskelig samvær gjennom hele livsløpet, fra vugge til grav. Med et kritisk analytisk blikk belyser forskningsarbeidene i antologien varierte tematikker omkring samsangpraksisens betydning og verdi for meningsskaping og opplevelse av sammenheng i livet knyttet til musikalske, fysiske, psykiske, emosjonelle, kognitive, etiske, kulturelle og sosiale faktorer. Undersøkelsene innbefatter blant annet sangens stilling i norske barnehager og skoler, samsang og helserelaterte temaer, samsang i et kjønnsperspektiv, samsang i et flerkulturelt perspektiv, samsangaktiviteter i lys av mestring og motivasjon, samt hverdagslige samsangaktiviteter for personer med demens og deres pårørende. Korsang i ulike livsfaser, fra oppvekstår til pensjonsalder, tematiseres også i flere kapitler. Med sin bredt anlagte og pluralistiske tilnærming, gir antologien et mangesidig bidrag til kunnskapsutviklingen på det musikkpedagogiske området knyttet til samsangens kraft og legitimitet både på individ-, gruppe- og samfunnsnivå. Forfatterne har erfaring som praktikere og forskere fra høyere utdanning innen musikkpedagogikk, utøvende musikk, musikkterapi, musikk og helse og musikalske praksiser i det frie kunst- og kulturfeltet.

• Jansson, Dag & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Turning points in shaping choral conducting practice: six tales of Norwegian conductors’ professional development. Music Education Research. ISSN 1461-3808. 24(2), p. 195–208. doi: 10.1080/14613808.2022.2053507. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Based on narratives on six choral conductors’ unfolding careers, the article investigates significant moments in professional trajectories – turning points – and how these shaped ongoing practices. The empirical material comprises interviews with conductors that represent different pre-conducting platforms – musicologist, music therapist, music educator, instrumentalist, singer, and church musician. Narratives present both an ontological view of experience – lived life is told life – and a methodology where the narrative analysis is the researchers’ integral retelling of fragments and episodes provided by the informants. The article draws on sensemaking theory to understand how the conductors attend to certain experiences, whether painful or pleasurable, and make their ongoing practice meaningful by modifying course of action as well as identity. A common theme is how they unexpectedly were thrown into the conductor position in their youth. Formal conductor education seems to take a highly ambiguous position in their developments, for some productive – and for some, even disruptive.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Danbolt, Ingrid Anette; Hagen, Liv Anna; Haukenes, Siri; Knigge, Jens & Schei, Tiri Bergesen (2022). «Det finnes en sang for alt!» Ansattes begrunnelser for sang i barnehage og skole – en empirisk studie. In Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (Ed.), Samsang gjennom livsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202716356. p. 29–65. doi: 10.23865/noasp.162.ch2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This chapter is based on two studies which aim to provide knowledge about the position of singing in Norwegian kindergartens and schools: (a) a national quantitative cross-sectional survey with kindergarten teachers and primary school/lower secondary school teachers, and (b) case studies in selected kindergartens and schools, where the data collection consisted of participatory observation and interviews with leaders and teachers. The chapter presents an attempt to incorporate both studies into a triangulation design where different types of data material and different analysis methods (quantitative and qualitative) are combined to investigate the question “why sing?” – that is, how singing is justified in kindergarten and school. Furthermore, we ask if different views on the functions of singing correlate with teachers’ personal characteristics (e.g., educational background, musical expertise, age, gender) and with the extent to which teachers sing with their children/students. Theoretical perspectives are grounded in music education philosophy with emphasis on Øivind Varkøy’s (2015) justification categories. The results show that employees in Norwegian kindergartens and schools justify singing with several arguments that are placed within and across Varkøy’s categories. We find a clear consensus among the participants in our sample that singing is particularly relevant for extra-musical functions (e.g., learning a language, building a community). The least emphasized, however, are arguments connected with curricula and the development of the singing voice.

• Schei, Tiri Bergesen & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Godhetsdiskursen om sang i barnehage og skole. In Fieldseth, Melanie Susan; Stien, Hanne Hammer & Veiteberg, Jorunn (Ed.), Kunstskapte fellesskap. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245041712. p. 239–260. doi: 10.55669/oa130508. Full text in Research Archive
• Jansson, Dag & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2021). Dilemmaer i skandinavisk korlederutdanning. In Angelo, Elin; Knigge, Jens; Sæther, Morten & Waagen, Wenche (Ed.), Higher Education as Context for Music Pedagogy Research. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202696979. p. 215–244. doi: 10.23865/noasp.119.ch9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Within higher education, programmes in choral conducting are offered of varying kinds and at different levels, from dedicated programmes to single courses that are embedded in other music programmes. The choral practice field is varied; choral leadership is partly a generic music competence and partly a profession. The variety and social reach of the choral movement suggest that the educational offering in choral conducting should be manifold in type and quantity in order to supply the practice field with qualified conductors. In this chapter we take a renewed look at material from three previous studies: (1) a mapping of Scandinavian choral leader education, based on document analysis and interviews with tutors and newly graduated conductors; (2) a quantitative survey on choral conducting competencies, where more than 600 conductors in Norway, Sweden, and Germany participated; and (3) an interview study of twenty Norwegian choral conductors on their professional careers. Although the findings from these studies were salient enough, the implications for choral conducting education were not equally clear. The point of departure for this chapter is that this is due to a series of difficult trade-offs, and we ask the question: What dilemmas do we face when educating choral conductors, and how might we understand these in light of the composite data? The material is analysed by drawing on established pedagogic categories, Wenger’s theory of communities of practice (1998), Jansson’s competence model for choral conductors (2018), and Varvarigou and Durrant’s discussion framework for choral conducting (2011).

• Jansson, Dag; Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Durrant, Colin (2021). The gesture enigma: Reconciling the prominence and insignificance of choral conductor gestures. Research Studies in Music Education. ISSN 1321-103X. 44(3), p. 1–18. doi: 10.1177/1321103X211031778. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Curious as to why conducting gesture is both acknowledged and ignored by choral singers, this paper investigates the enigmatic nature of the act of conducting. Education and research are biased towards gestural aspects of the choral conductor role. At the same time, research shows that gestural skills rank strikingly low compared to other musical skills and interpersonal skills. This study endeavours to unpack this enigma, based on 40 interviews with choral singers and conductors in Norway and Sweden. Taking a phenomenological approach, analysis of the fieldwork reveals that singers are more aware of gesture when something out of the ordinary happens, is unclear, or even particularly appealing. The enigmatic role of gesture is partly due to conceptual ambiguity – gestures are signals that conductors 'do' as well as embody the integral conductor 'being'. Moreover, four 'enigma busting' contextual dimensions were found: complexity of the music, the irreplaceability of gestures in the specific situation, singers’ receptiveness to gestures, and the gestural proficiency of the conductor. The article points at some implications for education as well as future research.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Christensen, Jorun (2021). Vinn-vinn? En studie av "Sentrum-prosjektet" – et samarbeid mellom grunnskole og kulturskole. In Bandlien, Bjørn-Terje; Olaussen, Ingvild Olsen; Letnes, Mari-Ann & Angelo, Elin (Ed.), Utdanning i kunstfag: Samarbeid, kvalitet og spenninger. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202716349. doi: 10.23865/noasp.152.ch6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne antologien presenterer forskningsprosjekter som undersøker kvaliteter og spenninger i ulike former for samarbeid om utdanning i og mellom forskjellige kunstfag, kunstformer og utdanninger. Bidragsyterne er lærere, ledere og forskere fra kulturskole, grunnskole og barnehage, samt disse skoleslagenes lærerutdanninger. Datamateriale for studiene er samlet innenfor disse skoleslagene og i samarbeidsprosjekter mellom dem. Forskningsprosjektene undersøker en rekke temaer; kulturskolens eksterne og interne samarbeidskonstellasjoner, mangfold, trivsel, spenninger og motsetninger ved samarbeid mellom kulturskole og grunnskole, møter mellom ulike kunstsyn i praksisfeltet, tyske musikkskolelæreres utfordringer i møte med musikkundervisning i grunnskolen, samarbeid mellom studenter og barn om produksjon av musikkteater, statistisk beskrivelse av valgfaget produksjon for sal og scene, undersøkelser om hvordan performative og transformative pedagogiske praksiser med blant annet motstand, forstyrrelser og overskridelser som sentrale elementer, kan åpne for forståelser av ulikhet og det underlige. Antologien inneholder også en oversikt over den omfattende forskningen om samarbeid mellom musikkskole og grunnskole i Tyskland knyttet til prosjektet Jedem Kind ein Instrument. Antologien gir særlig et bidrag til forskning hvor kulturskolen er et omdreiningspunkt, siden kulturskolen står i så mange ulike samarbeidskonstellasjoner. Ideen om antologien ble unnfanget i et musikkpedagogisk forskningsmiljø som i trå med fokuset på samarbeid, ønsket å omfavne bredden av ulike kunstfag, kunstformer og utdanninger

• Jansson, Dag & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Korlederens kompetanse, utdanning og praksis – konturene av en meta-teori. Journal for Research in Arts and Sports Education. 4(1), p. 92–114. doi: 10.23865/jased.v4.2354. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Korsang har en fremtredende posisjon i Skandinavia. Alle de ulike korene som finnes – fra barnekor til seniorkor, fra hygge-kor til profesjonelle kor – trenger korledere. Korlederen må mestre et omfattende kompetansesett i det hun eller han virker som både musiker, leder og pedagog. Forfatterne har de siste årene gjennomført en rekke studier av korlederes utdanning og praksis, som involverer varierte tilnærminger både når det gjelder metoder og materiale. På grunn av begrensningene i det klassiske vitenskapelige artikkelformatet har resultatene fra disse studiene så langt ikke blitt diskutert i sin helhet. I denne artikkelen tar vi et overordnet blikk og utøver en «kvalitativ meta-analyse» av de samlede resultatene. Artikkelen bygger på følgende spørsmål: Hvordan samvirker korlederutdannelse og -praksis i dirigenters kompetanse­utvikling og konstituering av dirigentprofesjonen? Resultatene presenteres som en konseptuell modell som kombinerer tre perspektiver – læring i praksisfellesskap, tre stadier i en dirigentpraksis og en tredelt kompetansemodell for korledelse. Modellen blir diskutert i form av fem temaer; mangfoldet i kordirigenters profesjonelle karrierer, selvopplevd kompetanse i praksis, forholdet mellom utdanning og praksis, betydningen av inngangsprofil og rekruttering til korlederyrket. Artikkelen peker på utfordringer i utformingen og implementeringen av korlederlederutdanning.

• Jansson, Dag & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Choral conducting education: The lifelong entanglement of competence, identity and meaning. Research Studies in Music Education. ISSN 1321-103X. 43(3). doi: 10.1177/1321103X19863184. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Choral singing is one of the most widespread musical activities, and choral conductors work in a variety of social settings that involve every imaginable type of choir and musical genre. The conductor role draws on a number of skills and competences that are partly acquired through education but, equally importantly, through experience. Choral conductors shape their practice in highly individual fashions as amalgamations of background, formal education, career development and working situation. The present qualitative study seeks to uncover how choral conductor practices arise and unfold, by using Etienne Wenger’s theory of communities of practice and situated learning as the key analytical framework. The study elucidates the choral conducting practice as an ongoing educational project and theorises the dimensions of variety in choral conductors’ trajectories. The study situates the conducting practice in a Western choral tradition, based on interviews with a diverse sample of 20 conductors in Norway. The theoretical framework proved to be highly appropriate; however, applying it to the choral conducting practice requires the explicit positioning with regard to the academic debates on the theory’s development following Wenger’s original conceptualisation. The study therefore contributes to knowledge development in three ways – (1) by shedding new light on the theory, (2) by proposing a sub-structure to the main theory for its application to choral conducting and (3) by tracing some initial implications for choral conducting education. One of the key findings is that a conductor’s background continues to impact competence and identity throughout a conductor’s work-life, while practice seems to be predominant over formal education.

• Jansson, Dag; Bygdéus, Pia & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Nordic choral conductor education: Overview and research agenda. Nordisk musikkpedagogisk forskning : Årbok. ISSN 1504-5021. 19, p. 137–170. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The choral movement holds a prominent position in the Nordic countries, and choral singing is one of the top social activities in terms of the number of people involved. While all these choirs need conductors and depend on choral leadership competence, we have limited knowledge of the existence and level of available competence, qualitatively or quantitatively. Music academies and universities are key providers of competence and capacity to meet the demands of amateur and professional ensembles alike. This paper seeks to establish a picture of university/academy-based education in choral conducting, with focus on the Scandinavian countries. Existing research is scarce, and the overall aim of this initial effort is to provide a foundation for further research. We have pursued the following related research questions; which educational programmes exist, what are their profiles in terms of the underlying thinking and ensemble needs they serve, and what is the capacity in terms of number of students? A variety of research data has been gathered, including curriculum reviews and interviews with conducting teachers and students from selected institutions. Although we have been able to answer the research questions to some degree, the study opens a series of new questions, which suggest an agenda for further research.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Singing for a better life: Choral singing and Public Health. In Bonde, Lars Ole & Theorell, Töres (Ed.), Music and Public Health : a Nordic perspective. Springer Publishing Company. ISSN 9783319762401. p. 167–186. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-76240-1_11. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  From the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) comes an exciting source of theoretical approaches, epidemiological findings, and real-life examples regarding the therapeutic and health-enhancing effects of music. Experts across fields including psychology, neurology, music therapy, medicine, and public health review research on the benefits of music in relieving physiological, psychological, and socioemotional dysfunction. Chapters link musical experiences (listening and performing, as well as involvement in movement, dance, and theatre) to a wide range of clinical and non-clinical objectives such as preventing isolation, regulating mood, reducing stress and its symptoms, and treating dementia. And the book’s section on innovative music-based interventions illustrates opportunities for incorporating musical activities into public health programs. Among the topics covered are: · Associations between the use of music, cultural participation and health-related outcomes in adult Scandinavian populations · Music practice and emotion handling · How music translates itself biologically in the body · Music as a forum for social-emotional health · Participation and partnership as core concepts in music and public health · Music therapy as health promotion for mothers and children at a public health clinic Music and Public Health will gain interested readers among researchers, teachers, students, and clinicians in the fields of music education and therapy, as well as researchers and students of public health who are interested in the influence of culture and the arts. The book also will be relevant to administrators in public health services.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Populærmusikkens vei inn i Den norske kirke :. DIN - Tidsskrift for religion og kultur. ISSN 1501-9934. p. 36–60. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). The silver voices: A possible model for senior singing. International Journal of Community Music. ISSN 1752-6299. 10(1), p. 59–69. doi: 10.1386/ijcm.10.1.59_1. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Beckmann, Hege (2017). "Musikken kan jeg ikke leve uten!" : Musikk som kilde til menneskets meningsskaping. In Balsnes, Anne Haugland (Eds.), Hva er nå et menneske? : tverrfaglige bidrag. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202566258. p. 208–228. Full text in Research Archive

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• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Jansson, Dag (2025). Korsangerboka - for deg som synger i kor : (og for deg som har lyst til å begynne). Kolofon Forlag AS. ISBN 9788230029855. 172 p. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  KORSANGERBOKA er en varm og leken guide til det å være korist. Basert på solid kunnskap, og med glimt i øyet, viser boka hvorfor sangfellesskap betyr så mye for så mange. Boka inneholder praktiske tips til hvordan alle, uansett ferdighetsnivå, kan finne sin plass i koret og bli en tryggere og mer hjelpsom medsanger. BOKA ER FOR DEG SOM - allerede synger i kor og vil få enda mer utbytte av det - har lyst til å begynne i kor og trenger en vennlig dytt - er korleder og vil støtte sangerne i deres utvikling

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Halvorsen, Linda Cecilie (2024). Orkesterboka. Cappelen Damm AS. ISBN 9788202840020. 150 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Danbolt, Ingrid Anette & Haukenes, Siri (2024). Sangglede og stemmebruk i skolen. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S. ISBN 9788205598652. 334 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Hagen, Liv Anna & Haukenes, Siri (2023). Sangglede og stemmebruk i barnehagen. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISBN 9788205571013. 278 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Samsang gjennom livsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISBN 9788202716356. 387 p. doi: 10.23865/noasp.162. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne antologien omhandler samsang i ulike livsfaser og sammenhenger i en skandinavisk kontekst. Samsang utgjør en vesentlig del av vår felles kulturarv. Samsang, som innebærer alle former for sang der mennesker synger sammen, karakteriserer på ulike måter menneskelig samvær gjennom hele livsløpet, fra vugge til grav. Med et kritisk analytisk blikk belyser forskningsarbeidene i antologien varierte tematikker omkring samsangpraksisens betydning og verdi for meningsskaping og opplevelse av sammenheng i livet knyttet til musikalske, fysiske, psykiske, emosjonelle, kognitive, etiske, kulturelle og sosiale faktorer. Undersøkelsene innbefatter blant annet sangens stilling i norske barnehager og skoler, samsang og helserelaterte temaer, samsang i et kjønnsperspektiv, samsang i et flerkulturelt perspektiv, samsangaktiviteter i lys av mestring og motivasjon, samt hverdagslige samsangaktiviteter for personer med demens og deres pårørende. Korsang i ulike livsfaser, fra oppvekstår til pensjonsalder, tematiseres også i flere kapitler. Med sin bredt anlagte og pluralistiske tilnærming, gir antologien et mangesidig bidrag til kunnskapsutviklingen på det musikkpedagogiske området knyttet til samsangens kraft og legitimitet både på individ-, gruppe- og samfunnsnivå. Forfatterne har erfaring som praktikere og forskere fra høyere utdanning innen musikkpedagogikk, utøvende musikk, musikkterapi, musikk og helse og musikalske praksiser i det frie kunst- og kulturfeltet.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Christensen, Jorun (2021). Vinn-vinn? En studie av "Sentrums-prosjektet" - et samarbeid mellom grunnskole og kulturskole. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISBN 9788202729653. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Halvorsen, Linda Cecilie (2021). Historier om den klassiske musikken. Musikkhistorie for barn og unge. Musikkforlagene. ISBN 9788291379593. 224 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Hva er nå et menneske? : tverrfaglige bidrag. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISBN 9788202566258. 336 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Knigge, Jens (2026). What Makes Future Teachers Sing? Contextual and Dispositional Predictors from a National Survey in Norway. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Singing holds a formally mandated place in Norwegian schooling, but the extent to which it is practiced varies widely between schools. Teachers are key agents with regard to singing in schools, and it is therefore relevant to direct attention towards teacher education and students teachers. This paper reports findings from a national survey of final-year students of teacher education (N = 466; 11 institutions) examining which contextual and dispositional factors predict their intention to use singing in future classroom practice. Grounded in models of teacher professional competence (Blömeke & Kaiser, 2017; Kunter et al., 2013), we compared generalist primary/lower-secondary student teachers without formal music credits (PSE) and music-specialised student teachers (MUS). The questionnaire captured early life and schooling experiences with singing, music-related leisure activities, perceived opportunities and learning outcomes in teacher education (including school placements), singing-related beliefs and attitudes, and self-perceived competence (Gold-MSI subscales). Multiple linear regression analyses were run separately for PSE and MUS. Intentions to use singing were substantially higher among MUS than PSE students, but with notable within-group variance. For PSE, the final model explained 41.6% of variance. Stronger intentions were predicted by (a) more positive beliefs about singing—especially its perceived transfer value (e.g., support for language learning), (b) greater personal relevance of singing during primary school, (c) richer music-related leisure engagement, (d) higher perceived relevance of singing within their study programme, (e) stronger singing-related learning outcomes in teacher education, and (f) higher perceived mentor singing competence during school placements. For MUS, the model explained 28.5% of variance. Three predictors remained: (a) stronger endorsement of the intrinsic value of singing (enjoyment/engagement), (b) greater personal relevance of singing during primary school, and (c) more extensive singing-related course offerings within the study programme. Across pathways, early school experiences with singing show durable effects; beliefs matter in both groups but differ in content (transfer-oriented for PSE; intrinsic for MUS). The teacher-education environment also matters, though via different levers: mentorship and confidence-building enactment opportunities for PSE; structured, singing-rich curricula for MUS. We discuss implications for programme design and policy: anchoring singing and class-leading routines in generalist preparation; ensure singing-competent mentors in placements; preserve and expand singing opportunities in compulsory schooling to seed later teacher intentions; and address both intrinsic and instrumental rationales in advocacy.

• Elmies-Vestergren, Alexander; Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Knigge, Jens (2026). Promoting singing in school through teacher education: a quasi-experimental study of pre-service teachers' intentions, self-efficacy, and argumentation. Full text in Research Archive
• Selås, Magnhild & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2025). Song med lærarstudentar i begynnaropplæringa. Full text in Research Archive
• Elmies-Vestergren, Alexander & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2025). Sang som undervisningsform og danningsarena i lærerutdanning og skole. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Sang gir bedre helse. [TV]. NRK. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Korsang og helse. [Radio]. NRK, P1+. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Juleevangeliet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Hva skjer med kroppen vår når vi synger? [Radio]. NRK. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Puccini-jubileum. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Ellefsen, Live Weider & Knigge, Jens (2024). Singing in Norwegian primary and secondary schools – Three empirical studies on the status quo. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2024). Syng for livet – fra vugge til grav. In Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Danbolt, Ingrid Anette & Haukenes, Siri (Ed.), Sangglede og stemmebruk i skolen. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S. ISSN 9788205598652. p. 13–17. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Hagen, Liv Anna & Haukenes, Siri (2023). Boklansering av Sangglede og stemmebruk i barnehagen. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Sødal, Nils Harald & Ribe, Benedikte Sofie (2023). Drama fra operascenen. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Prosjektet var et samarbeid mellom Universitetet i Agder, Kirstiansand Operakor og Musikkens venner i Kristiansand og utforsket verdens tre meste spilte operaer, nemlig Tryllefløyten av Mozart, Carmen av Bizet og La Traviata av Verdi. Ideen var å utforske tre operaer som gjennom århundrer har begeistret publikum rundt om i hele verden. Studentene ved Institutt for klassisk sang og musikkpedagogikk ved UIA fikk gjennom dette prosjektet muligheten til å gjøre seg kjent med de musikalske og dramturgiske elementene i tre tidløse operatiske verk. I et mindre format kunne studentene her utforske ulike sceniske og sanglige innganger på klassiske verk. regien ble satt i en improvisatorisk setting. Prosjektets sluttprodukt var en forestilling med betalende tilskuere. Dermed fikk studentene også kjenne på det presset, men samtidig den gleden det er å stå foran en større forsamling.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2023). Sang i utdanning og rekruttering til kor. [Journal]. Korbladet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2023). Å, var jeg en sangfugl. [Journal]. Harvest Magazine. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2023). Det er nå vi må satse. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2023). Syng for livet – fra vugge til grav. In Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Hagen, Liv Anna & Haukenes, Siri (Ed.), Sangglede og stemmebruk i barnehagen. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISSN 9788205571013. p. 11–15. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Choral Singing – The Sound of community. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Syng for livet! Fra vugge til grav - i Grimstad. Full text in Research Archive
• Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Introduksjon til Samsang gjennom livsløpet. In Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (Ed.), Samsang gjennom livsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202716356. p. 7–27. doi: 10.23865/noasp.162.ch1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This anthology deals with co-singing (Norwegian: samsang) in different life stages and various settings in a Scandinavian context. Co-singing forms an essential part of our shared cultural heritage. Co-singing involves all forms of singing-activities in which people coexist, and characterizes in various ways human companionship throughout the course of life, from cradle to grave. From a critical analytical perspective, the research in this anthology sheds light on several themes related to the importance and value of co-singing practice in terms of sensemaking and experiencing coherence in life. This involves musical, physical, psychological, emotional, cognitive, ethical, cultural, and social factors. The research project examines for instance the position of singing activities in Norwegian kindergartens and schools, co-singing and health-related topics, co-singing from a gender perspective, co-singing from a multicultural perspective, co-singing activities in light of motivation and coping, and also low-threshold, flexible daily life singing activities for persons with dementia and their relatives. Choir singing in various life stages, from childhood to age of retirement, are also explored in several chapters. With its broadly arranged and pluralistic approach, this anthology provides a multi-faceted contribution to the development of knowledge in the research field of music associated with the power and legitimacy of co-singing at the individual, group, and societal levels. The contributing authors have their practical and scientific experience from higher music education within the fields of music pedagogy, music performance, music therapy, music and health, and also from other types of cultural and musical practices.

• Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Knigge, Jens (2022). Sang i lærerutdanningen og lærerstudenteres forhold til sang. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Korsang for et bedre liv: Kor, helse og livskvalitet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Syng for livet - sangens betydning for enkeltpersoner, grupper og samfunn. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). On Christmas Night. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Andrea Bocelli med Kristiansand symfoniorkester. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Da pacem - Give us peace. A cantata for mixed choir and jazz ensemble. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2022). Sanger om Søgne. Full text in Research Archive
• Strøm, Regine Vesterlid; Eiksund, Øyvind Johan & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2021). Co-singing Across the Life Course. Full text in Research Archive
• Christophersen, Catharina Renate; Onsrud, Silje Valde; Viig, Tine Grieg; Knudsen, Jan Sverre; Holdhus, Kari Mette & Ellefsen, Live Weider [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2021). Musikkfaget i lærerutdanningen - pågående forskning og visjoner for framtiden. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland; Hagen, Liv Anna; Knigge, Jens & Schei, Tiri Bergesen (2020). SangBarSk - Singing in Kindergartens and Schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Kor og helse. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Syng for livet! Fra vugge til grav. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). I like to move it! Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Forskning på sang i pedagogiske sammenhenger. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). The Sound of Community. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2020). Syng for livet, fra vugge til grav. Full text in Research Archive
• Schei, Tiri Bergesen; Balsnes, Anne Haugland & Johnson, David (2019). SANGBARSK - Utførte og pågående studier av sangens stilling i barnehage og skole i Skandinavia. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Sanger i september. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Festkonsert på nasjonaldagen. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Planetene. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Brahms Requiem. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Margrethe Munthe for unge og gamle. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2019). Stories for voices, strings and band. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). M - madr - menneske. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Juleoratoriet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Juleevangeliet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Choral singing and Public health. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Gjestfri korsang. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Gjestfri korsang. Full text in Research Archive
• Christensen, Jorun & Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Instrumentopplæring forbedret klassemiljøet. p. 20–20. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Radio Luxembourg. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Festkonsert 17.mai. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Vårkonsert. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Foajekonsert. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Norske stemninger. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Luther og liturgi. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Musikk i diakoniens tjeneste. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). The History and Performance of Gospel Music. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Syng for livet! Fra vugge til grav. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2018). Nordic Choral Conductor Education. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Julekonsert. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Forgive me, companero. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Nasjonaldagskonsert. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Mozarts c-mollmesse. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Foajekonsert. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Juleevangeliet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Sølvstrupene er den beste gaven livet har gitt meg etter at jeg ble pensjonist! Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Korsang for et bedre liv. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Syng for livet. Full text in Research Archive
• Balsnes, Anne Haugland (2017). Sølvstrupene og Kildens utvidede samfunnsoppdrag. Full text in Research Archive

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