Silvertones Senior Choir -- An Outreach Program of the Larimer Chorale
Mission Statement: To provide an avenue for active and older adults to sing for joy, health and camaraderie regardless of experience and expertise. (Adopted September 2013)
In 2012, the Larimer Chorale created a choir program that provides an avenue for active older adults to engage in recreational singing and to realize their wellness and life-long learning goals. The emphasis of the choir is on camaraderie and singing for the fun of it. The senior choir is called the Silvertones, a name chosen by the members themselves.
Artistic Director, Michael Todd Krueger, and retired Executive Director, Wendy D. White, conceived the idea for a senior choir after a city-wide "Silver Tsunami" study demonstrated the need for novel and complex recreational activities for the area's growing senior population. The program demonstrates that learning, making, and sharing art enriches everyone throughout their lifetime. This senior choir program addresses seniors’ needs for physical activity, mental stimulation, and cognitive engagement; provides an enjoyable community singing experience, fosters the realization of life-long learning goals; and encourages friendship and teamwork. The program fights ageism and raises community awareness of the proven health benefits of choral singing.
This program is meant for active adults, ages 55 and up. Participants come together for weekly rehearsals to engage in light stretching and vocal warm-up exercises, to learn effective vocal technique, and to practice the songs chosen for that session. The exercises are designed to increase stamina and improve balance, posture, and breathing. The conductor chooses selections fitting a common theme and ranging in difficulty from pieces sung in unison to selections in four-part harmony. The singers often learn a song in a foreign language to help improve memory and articulation! 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. Silvertones experience the pure joy of making music.
Participation Details
The Silvertones meet from mid-March through mid-November, in a series of three 10-week sessions. Weekly rehearsals are on Tuesdays, from 9:30 to 11:00 AM, at Christ United Methodist Church, located at 301 E. Drake, Fort Collins. The Silvertones do not meet in December, January, and February. The Fall 2019 session will start on September 10, 2019. You may register by contacting the Larimer Chorale at contactlarimerchorale@gmail.com or contacting Sylvia Godsey, Lead Volunteer, at sylgodsey@comcast.net. Dues are $45 for each 10-week session. If you cannot afford this, please ask the staff for a scholarship request form at the first rehearsal.
How is the Program Funded?
We receive a sponsorship from AARP and grants from the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund and the Anschutz Family Foundation. Member dues and community donations allow us to meet the budget.
