Encore Creativity for Older Adults welcomes singers to the spring season

Lauren LaRocca, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Jan. 2—Encore Creativity for Older Adults Welcomes Singers to the Spring Season

Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the nation's largest choral organization for adults over 55, welcomes singers in Frederick to its spring semester of singing starting Jan. 12. The local group will sing an eclectic mix of songs to light up the colder months and usher in the spring, from choral arrangements of "Blue Skies" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to celebrating friendship through singing "All the Way Home."

Registration is open for Encore Creativity's spring semester of 22.5 hours of rehearsal time, with 90-minute rehearsals once per week. The season will culminate in a crowd-pleasing performance that is free and open to the public.

No auditions are ever required for an Encore program, and no experience is necessary. The nonprofit's guiding mission is to provide a welcoming and accessible artistic environment for all adults 55 and older who seek it, regardless of prior experience. Deb Int Veldt will conduct the Encore Chorale of Frederick, which meets on Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, 4880 Elmer Derr Road, Frederick.

Encore provides an opportunity for older adults of all skill levels and experience levels to unite in harmony and perform in prestigious venues across the U.S. Encore singers across the country gathered on Dec. 26 for a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, D.C., singing holiday favorites and rejoicing in the new year with more than 400 singers in attendance.

Tuition is $190 per person for the 15-week program. Tuition includes sheet music and a rehearsal CD highlighting a singer's voice part. Encore will follow all city, state and federal COVID-19 guidelines. For those who prefer singing virtually, Encore also hosts online rehearsals that learn the same repertoire as in-person chorales. For more information and registration, visit encorecreativity.org or call 301-261-5747.

For singers who want a full musical experience, a new semester of Encore's vibrant online educational program Encore University begins mid-January. Encore University is a comprehensive online program of enrichment courses in music history, music theory, dance, art and more. Tuition for the spring semester of Encore University is all-inclusive at $99 and includes recorded versions of classes to be viewed on demand. Singers can combine both the in-person program with online classes for a holistic approach to arts education.