Older Adult Choral Group Ushers in Fall Season in Fairfax County
Encore Creativity for Older Adults, America’s largest choral organization for adults over 55, welcomes new and returning singers in the Fairfax County area to the fall season of its popular Encore Chorales, local groups that sing a fun and eclectic mix of music in many styles and from many different eras; Encore ROCKS, rock & roll choruses that take singers back to their favorite hits from the 50s through the 80s, and Sentimental Journey Singers, a choir for those with early Alzheimer’s and memory impairments and their care partners.
Registration is open now for the 15-week fall season which begins in September 2022 and culminates in holiday concerts that are free and open to the public. All programs consist of 90-minute sessions held conveniently during the day each week and led by well-known professional conductors from the area. No auditions are necessary. Encore’s mission is to provide an accessible arts education and performance opportunities for older adults regardless of ability or experience.
Betsy Kutscher, who serves as the Chorale Master of the Encore Chorale of Fairfax, was seeking something different in her newly retired life when she discovered Encore. “Exercise and singing – sounded good to me,” said Kutscher, who also found Encore helpful during some difficult times. “Once I went to sing, I totally escaped from the stress in my life.”
Programs include the Encore Chorale of Fairfax at St George’s United Methodist Church in Fairfax, Encore Chorale of Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads in Falls Church, Encore Chorale of Reston and Fairfax ROCKS at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Vienna and Sentimental Journey Singers at the award-winning Insight Memory Care Center in Fairfax.
With the exception of Sentimental Journey Singers, which is a free program, tuition is $190.00 per person for each 15-week program. Encore will follow all City, State and Federal Covid-19 guidelines. For more information and registration, visit www.encorecreativity.org or call 301-261-5747.
For those who prefer to sing virtually, Encore is also offering its popular Encore University, a comprehensive online program of singing plus enrichment courses in music history, music theory, dance, art, movement classes and more. Tuition for the fall semester of Encore University is $185.00 per person. Registration starts August 10th. Singers can combine both the in-person program with online classes for a full musical experience.
Founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly during an NIH-funded study to address the mental and physical health benefits of singing for older adults, Encore Creativity for Older Adults, an Annapolis-based nonprofit, now has more than 1,000 singers in 30 programs across the nation, including Chorales and ROCKS and Sentimental Journey Singers, plus a vibrant online university, summer camp, winter retreat and travel abroad programs.
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