For each person studying music in formal institutions in Spain, there are at least five others learning and performing in "informal" schools and settings. Choirs and "estudiantinas" or "tunas" are two examples of these informal schools found both in Ibero-America and worldwide. Their place in society and their importance in the (musical) life stories of their members are analysed in this article from an anthropological perspective to provide a contribution to the theoretical debate on choir studies and to raise awareness about and interest in the study of tunas in the international scientific literature. In complex contemporary societies, choirs are one of the most common informal adult music schools and "estudiantinas" or "tunas" are also widespread in Ibero-America and the Netherlands. However, while choirs are a subject commonly covered in the academic literature, tunas have received less scholarly attention, despite their importance as a shared musical heritage for these cultures. This article uses an anthropological approach to analyse how these socio-cultural institutions implement music education and sensibility and play an extremely important role in the lives of choristers. Even though the field scenario is Spain, the research insights and findings are perfectly comparable and applicable to many other countries.