photo credit Young At Heart Chorus
Purple Haze, Forever Young, Road to Nowhere; The Clash, Prince, and Sonic Youth—these are just some of the titles and artists whose work is performed by the world renowned Young At Heart Chorus, with members ranging in age from 73 to 89. The Chorus was founded in 1982 by Bob Cilman and Judith Sharpe, evolving from a daily song session with residents of a housing project for the elderly, The Walter Salvo House, in Northampton. Cilman says that he and the staff wanted to provide something more than food for residents. One day a resident announced that she could play the piano and the song sessions were born.
Today, Young At Heart has become an indie, pop, and classic rock chorus. A singing sensation, the chorus performs at such venues as concert halls, theatres, elementary schools, and prisons. The original chorus members included World War I and II survivors, old vaudeville singers, and even a centenarian who circled around Sharpe’s piano to sing classic numbers. After the Chorus performed for several years on small stages, on one night in 1986 everything changed: 84 year-old “Diamond” Lillian Aubrey performed a version of Manfred Mann’s “Do Wah Diddy” that brought the house down. Cilman realized there was potential to transform the singing group into something truly special.
In 1983, the Chorus performed its first stage production with the help of the local and innovative No Theater, and the performance was an instant hit. Performances brought in a broad cross section of community members young and old, and created a buzz that attracted new performers. Today, members of the Chorus include former schoolteachers, executives, doctors, and food service workers, who specialize in reinterpreting rock, punk, and R&B classics that speak to their “youngness,” dispelling any preconceived notions about their age when the first notes are sung. When the Chorus takes the stage, the audience is struck by the vivaciousness of the performers, and their ability to relate to the audience through popular music.
Members of the Chorus vary in their physical capabilities: some can stand and dance, others rely on walking sticks to stand, and others cannot stand the whole time, so they sit. Despite their varying mobility, and even because of it, the Young At Heart Chorus members embrace their age, and often spunky personalities, to wow audiences time and again.
When asked how the Chorus is unique, Cilman responded, “I wouldn't know where to begin. I think what we do is unique. When you try to describe it, it sounds like a gimmick. I think we have an honest approach to the music and we bring the energy needed for rock and roll.” Cilman doesn’t mention the age of the Chorus members, or their limitations. Rather, he focuses on the natural talent and energy they bring to the stage and to the music he directs. As stated on its website, “Young At Heart is not about old people performing, but rather a performance that happens to feature older people.” Young At Heart has become sought after for its performances and Chorus members. But the Chorus benefits the members, just as much as it does the audiences—and maybe more.
Chorus members come from senior housing, independent living, and assisted living, and many have lost their spouses and are looking for a new community. The Chorus is a means for its members to break out of their potentially isolating living situations to embrace a community that offers interaction and socialization, and also a source of purpose and meaning. Many of the Chorus members cite singing and music as a key component of their lives. Some have prior professional theater or music experience, while others performed extensively on the amateur level; and still others had never stepped onto a stage before turning 80 years old.
Some Young At Heart Chorus members car pool with one another each week from small towns outside of Northampton, a mid-sized town of around 30,000, forming a routine and special bond with one another. A public transport van, paid for by Young At Heart, is offered to members; many are able to use other public transportation, find rides with family and friends, or with each other. Members are a “second family,” and when sickness or worse, death, strikes a Chorus member the group is a constant and caring force.
When asked about the challenges of directing Young At Heart Chorus, Bob Cilman says that the members are as similar to work with, “as any group of people on a mission,” but that the challenges lie in making sure the performances are appealing to a diverse audience. Cilman often hears questions from those wishing to start a similar group in other communities.
His advice? Don’t try to be just like Young At Heart. Instead, those who are interested should find out what they and their community are passionate about, to make it their own and to make it work. Cilman acknowledges that directing Young At Heart requires a lot of work, and that before taking on any similar endeavor, those involved have to make sure they love it. Which he does, of course—and the love of the performance and the community of Young At Heart is what urges the group forward, attracting new members and learning new songs year after year. Young At Heart has the ability to touch the lives of all, and by standing the common audience-performer paradigm on its head, showcases older adult members on stage rather than in seats. The Chorus promotes the idea that the best time of life can come in the later years.
To learn more visit their site at www.youngatheartchorus.com