choirs@Work is an innovative and creative staff development program designed to leverage the power of group singing to increase productivity, release joy, appreciate diversity, and foster camaraderie in the workplace.

Eric Dozier is a cultural activist and musician who believes that the arts are an underutilized resource often overlooked in public discourse about just government, organizational behavior, educational excellence, and diversity.  He began exploring these ideas, as he inhaled the musical traditions of rural Bakewell, TN, where he learned that music was not merely the sole property of the master musician but that the very act of raising a song could unite a community.

After decades as an entrepreneur and manager of choirs around the world, Eric has developed a structure that incorporates diverse groups of people, encourages unified lines of action, and recognizes individual accomplishment while raising collective capacity.  The combination of Eric's musical prowess, scholarship on the connection between song and social change, and southern charm sheds unexpected light on subjects ranging from civil rights to corporate team building.  

Drawing upon the "call-and-response" and “improvisational” song styles he learned as a child, Eric assists individuals, communities and organizations in finding their collective voice by building a choir with the people in your organization.  Recent evidence has shown singing to be one of the quickest ways to build social cohesion. It also relieves stress while boosting performance and focus. Using the group song as a tool, Eric demonstrates that a good leader ensures that everyone shines and puts his/her team in its place of greatest potential, subsequently building a highly engaged and inspired followership. 

Outcomes and Impact

Participants will:

• LEARN about the rich history of group singing and its function in preserving history, educating generations, protesting injustice and healing the wounds of racism. 

• DEVELOP skills in listening, group work, and singing.

• EXPLORE such musical concepts as call and response, improvisation, movement and polyrhythmic expression and how they can be applied in creating a more joyous and equitable work environment.

• GROW to appreciate their individual and collective identity, thereby helping them to understand the importance of equity and  inclusion for all.

• SING & SHARE what they learn with the company through a public performance designed to elevate, educate, and inspire their colleagues.