Revisiting Music in Retirement: Encore Creativity for Older Adults

"Music, especially singing—and even more especially—singing with other people, can pull anyone out of depression. It is impossible to be depressed with music bouncing around in your brain. [Encore] has made a wonderful contribution, giving older people something to do, a way to make friends and a reason to be happy. You may literally have saved some people's lives." —John Millson, Schweinhaut

A common reaction of audience members attending an Encore Chorale concert for the first time is, “Wow, I never expected this !” It seems the expectation is a bunch of senior citizens singing “My Grandfather’s Clock” from a song sheet in unison. Encore Creativity for Older Adults , now in our 11 ^th year, has raised the bar. Our singers perform challenging four-part music in over thirty concerts per year, all free and open to the public.

I was inspired to start Encore after leading the choral component of the landmark Creativity and Aging Study conducted by the late Dr. Gene Cohen of The George Washington University, and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The study documented the many benefits to singers 55 and older who had the opportunity to sing choral music under the direction of a professional conductor. The singers were interviewed before their fall rehearsals began and again at the end of spring rehearsals. The results showed the singers took fewer medications, had less doctor and hospital visits, took fewer medications, had higher morale, and much less depression. Isolation is one of the worst sicknesses of aging, and singing in a chorus gives these singers tremendous teamwork. Singing keeps many of these people going. It gives them a purpose.

When I designed the Encore program I thought of aging and the demands that aging brings. First the fun stuff: travel! Then doctor appointments. So I decided to have all programs rehearse the same repertoire and if they had to miss a rehearsal, they could make it up at a chorale near them. And the joy of all the chorales rehearsing the same rep was that I could combine these singers for huge, spectacular concerts. Their sound is impressive! Last May we presented 700 Encore singers in concert at DAR Constitution Hall, celebrating our 10 ^th Anniversary. Simply unforgettable!

Encore’s mission is to provide an excellent and accessible artistic environment for adults, age 55 and over, regardless of experience or ability, who seek arts education and performance opportunities under a professional artist. Encore is fulfilling that mission, with nearly 2,000 singers in 35 Encore Chorales, and Encore Rocks' rock & roll choruses across the country from New York City, to Washington, D.C., to California.

What sets Encore apart?

No auditions! Many of our singers have not sung for 20, 30, 40 years. If they had to do an audition, they probably would not sing ever again.

Daytime rehearsals—no driving at night!

Professionally recorded rehearsal CDs—we make singing accessible. With the aid of these rehearsal tracks, our singers feel confident, courageous, and comfortable. We sing repertoire that they would not sing in their church or temple choirs. Think Westside Story , “Va Pensiero,” Copland songs.

There are no barriers to entry into an Encore program, aside from the minimum age requirement of 55. (The current average age is 70+. The current oldest singer is 94; the record age is 104.) There are no auditions and singers may be seated for rehearsals and performances. Singers may have no previous singing experience or may have participated in choral programs their entire life. Many come to Encore after being “auditioned out” of other groups.

Encore also offers excellent summer camps. There will be three this year, including our first ever Rock & Roll camp to be held in Annapolis, MD in August. Encore will present our eleventh annual Encore Chorale Institute at Washington College in Chestertown, MD in June, and our 11 ^th annual Encore Institute at the famed Chautauqua Institution in August. We also do an annual international concert tour. This year we will travel to Montreal and Quebec, Canada. These activities increase the social engagement that Encore provides and are very popular with the singers. The sense of community Encore creates is frequently cited by Encore participants as one of the major benefits. New friendships are created that extend beyond the rehearsal rooms.

Encore further promotes this sense of community via social media, including monthly e-newsletters, a dynamic web site, Facebook, and Twitter. Not only do these activities keep our singers informed, they are key to our continued growth. As the largest choral organization for older adults in the U.S., Encore is committed to bring our benefits to as many people as possible.

In a recent article about Encore in the New York Times, Tony Tambasco, age 78, best summed it up: “The music has an effect on mind and heart,” he said, adding, “It makes for a happy life.”