Singing for our lives: exploring the interaction of community, feminism and musical performance in the Common Woman Chorus

The Common Woman Chorus of Durham, North Carolina celebrated its twenty-fifth continuous year of music-making in the fall of 2008. Operating largely on the basis of volunteer labor, the chorus produces two major concert events each year, in addition to singing for numerous community events in the interim. As one of many women's choruses in the United States with roots in the Feminist movement and recognition in the lesbian community, the chorus sings in unison with others across the nation, and yet is unique in the dialogue it enters into with its audiences due to the sociopolitical and geographic context in which it is situated. This ethnography offers an understanding of both the community and the longevity of the Common Woman Chorus through an exploration of the ways in which the construct of a doing community, feminist ideals and musical performance intersect.