About the Silvertones

About

Our Mission: To provide an avenue for active and older adults to sing for joy, health and camaraderie regardless of experience and expertise.

The Silvertones Senior Choir is a non-auditioned community based vocal choir with 120 voices, providing an avenue for active and older adults to sing for joy, health and camaraderie.

Participants gather weekly for rehearsals, vocal warm-up exercises, to learn effective vocal technique, and to practice the songs chosen for that session. The conductor chooses selections fitting a common theme and ranging in difficulty from pieces sung in unison to selections in four-part harmony. Overall, the program fosters friendships, laughter, and social connection.

Members do not need to audition and they don't need to know how to read music. This means that our members span all musical skill, educational, and experience levels, from complete beginner to advanced singers. Silvertones Senior Choir members experience the pure joy of making music.

The Silvertones Senior Choir season consists of two fourteen-week sessions culminating in public performances. For participation details, please take a look at our register to sing page.

History

In 2012, the Larimer Chorale created an outreach choir program that provided an avenue for active older adults to engage in recreational singing and to realize their wellness and life-long learning goals. Larimer Chorale Artistic Director, Michael Todd Krueger, and retired Executive Director, Wendy D. White, conceived the idea for a senior choir after a city-wide study demonstrated the need for novel and complex recreational activities for the area's growing senior population. The choir is called the Silvertones Senior Choir, a name chosen by the members themselves.

In 2023, The Silvertones Senior Choir moved from being an outreach program of the Larimer Chorale to being a member ensemble of the Larimer Choral Society.

Program Staff

Marvin Crawford is the conductor of the Silvertones Senior Choir. A full-time church musician for 48 years, he has served in large churches in several states, most recently for 15 years at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins. One of his special interests has been leading bell choirs. Mr. Crawford earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Church Music from Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey and a Master of Music degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Conducting from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. He also holds an Advanced Graduate Certificate of Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida.

Alice Crawford is the Larimer Chorale's accompanist and concert performer and the accompanist for the Silvertones Senior Choir. Alice brings with her many years of experience, having worked in larger churches in New Jersey, Oregon, Idaho, Virginia, and Colorado. She has had many opportunities to accompany and perform major choral works as pianist or organist. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College at Ryder University, Princeton, New Jersey. Her principle instrument was the organ; her minor was in voice. Alice is also an enthusiastic hammered dulcimer player. When not playing the organ, piano, or hammered dulcimer, Alice enjoys cycling, walking, swimming, sewing, and spoiling her grandchildren.

Sylvia Godsey is the Lead Volunteer for the Silvertones. She provides administrative support for the program.