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VOL.32, NO.1
Never too old to rock and roll
JANUARY 2020
I N S I D E …
PHOTO BY E. DAVID LURIA PHOTOGRAPHY
By Michael Doan On a recent autumn day in Alexandria, a group of singers belted out the 1966 Motown hit “You Keep Me Hanging On,” swaying to the rhythm, bobbing their heads, smiling and shouting loudly at the end of the song. Is this a reunion of the Supremes? Maybe a young tribute band mimicking these great singers? Well, no. In fact, you see a few canes, hearing aids and lots of white hair among the rockers, who are clearly having a blast. They’re the singers of “Alexandria Rocks,” one of 23 Encore Creativity Choruses filled with older adults from the Washington area. The choirs are open to anyone 55 and over — no audition and no prior experience or ability to read music required. “Let’s have the first altos and second sopranos sing ‘whoa-whoa-whoa, yeahyeah,’” said their director, David Lang. “Kind of tricky here.” He’s not kidding. All of this music takes a lot of practice. The score of “You Keep Me Hanging On” — in five parts, with lots of syncopation — is almost as challenging as a highbrow requiem. For many singers, the choruses reawaken a long-lost interest in music. One, Jerry Catron, said, “In the ‘50s and ‘60s I spent a lot of time in smoky bars around a piano, singing a little bit of everything. Later, I found myself mostly to be a back-pew singer in church.” At age 69, he took his first voice lessons and now sings with Alexandria Rocks. “It’s the highlight of my week. I love the music, camaraderie and the friendship,” he said. Jeanne Kelly, a longtime choral and orchestral conductor, began the nonprofit Encore Creativity for Older Adults in 2007. She continues to lead the organization, which has grown in size and stature under her leadership. “I love seeing people who have not sung for 40 years, or maybe ever, come back to it and learn about their voice,” she said. “They get so excited, they can’t get enough of it.” The numerous choral groups operate on a semester basis, with fees for attendees (and tuition assistance for those who need). Fees help cover the cost of directors, rehearsal spaces, publicity for free concerts and operational expenses of the nonprofit.
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LEISURE & TRAVEL
Spring training games and grub in Fort Myers, Florida; plus, highlights of Virginia’s annual festivals in 2020, and Bob Levey’s parking lot revelation page 32 Singers 55-plus who join an Encore Chorale give a public performance after eight rehearsals with a professional conductor — no prior experience or audition required. There are nearly two dozen such choruses in the metro area, singing either traditional or rock music. In addition to fall and spring semesters, summer camps and international tours are offered by Encore Creativity for Older Adults, a nonprofit organization.
Documented health benefits Kelly began thinking about establishing the organization in 2001, when she took part in a study on the effects of singing on older adults. The late Dr. Gene Cohen, of George Washington University, led the Creativity and Aging study, the first to document health benefits in older adults involved in community arts programs. Although Kelly had conducted older adult chorales for years, she was startled by the study’s results. “We found these singers had fewer falls, fewer hospital visits, less need for longterm health care, much less depression
and higher morale,” Kelly said. Her singers “all just want to do something challenging and learn — and be respected.” It’s also clear that singers make friends at rehearsals. “There is a lot of isolation, especially among older adults, and Encore is quashing that,” she said. Seven of the current chorales sing rock and roll, but 16 sing more traditional music from the American songbook, classical pieces and spirituals, all in four-part harmony. While singers must be at least 55, some have been as old as 103. At the See ENCORE, page 39
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