The Encore Chorale of Southern Maryland performing in 2019. Registration is open now for the fall session that begins in September. Photo by Larry Kelly
Encore Creativity for Older Adults, America’s largest choral organization for adults over 55, welcomes new and returning singers to the fall session of its Encore Chorale of Southern Maryland in Lusby, a popular local choral group that sings a fun and eclectic mix of music in many styles and from many different eras.
Encore is accepting registration now for its 15-week program that begins in September 2022. No auditions are necessary.
The session will culminate in a holiday concert that is free and open to the public. The conductor is Joey Hoopengardner, who taught choral music in the St. Mary’s County Public Schools for 33 years and is currently the musical director and conductor of the live orchestra for St. Mary’s County’s Summer Stock Theatre. He has also been the guest conductor and adjudicator for various elite honors choirs and choral festivals across Maryland.
“The opportunity to sing in a group gives seniors a chance to make new friends while expressing our love of music,” said Nancy Briggs, a longtime singer with the Encore Chorale of Southern Maryland. “We sing challenging music, and it is always amazing and immensely satisfying to see how we progress over 15 weeks to be able to share our wonderful repertoire with our friends, families and others in our free concerts.”
The Encore Chorale of Southern Maryland will meet at Southern Pines Senior Center, 20 Appeal Lane in Lusby on Wednesdays, starting September 7th, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Tuition is $190.00 per person for the 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. 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, Md.-based nonprofit, now has more than 1,000 singers in 30 programs across the nation, including Chorales and ROCKS (rock & roll choruses) and Sentimental Journey Singers, a choir for those with early Alzheimer’s or memory impairments and their care partners, plus a vibrant online university, summer camp, winter retreat and travel abroad programs. Encore’s mission is to provide an accessible arts education and performance opportunities for older adults regardless of ability or experience
The Encore Chorale of Southern Maryland performing in 2019. Registration is open now for the fall session that begins in September. Photo by Larry Kelly
