COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Senior Chorale of The Rockies performed their holiday shows on Tuesday and Wednesday. This marks the group's 30th year of performing.
The senior chorale is a group of 27 participants. Their age ranges from 55 and above with their oldest member being 94 years old. The group is open to any senior who has a passion for singing.
The program is through the Colorado Springs Senior Center which is operated through the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region.
Every year they start rehearsing in February. The Chorale has a performance in June and one in December. They also sing at local assisted living centers.
Linda Wolf is one of the singers a part of the Chorale. She will turn 81 years young on New Year's Eve.
“We are pretty darn good for a group of old people,” Wolf said.
According to Wolf, The Colorado Springs Senior Chorale of the Rockies was started by a music teacher that was involved with the Senior Center. Wolf said the music teacher was retired and created the corral. This holiday season the Colorado Springs Senior Chorale of the Rockies is celebrating its 30th year.
“We are just a group of elderly citizens who love to sing and we have a lady in our group who is 94. It just amazes me that she's still got her voice,” Wolf said.
Wolf has been a part of the Chorale for 13 years.
“Well, I went to the Senior Center after my husband passed away because I was told they had danced there. I thought, oh, I haven't danced in years. I want to go and see if I can dance. So I did get to dance a couple of times,” Wolf said.
She said there tends to be a lot more women at the dance than there are male partners.
“But I enjoyed the camaraderie, even just with the other women,” Wolf said.
One her way out of a dance class Wolf stopped at the desk and saw the flier for the Chorale.
“I thought, oh, I should fit right in there and I did. I started out as a soprano, and now I'm a tenor. So even if your voice changes, as long as you still want to sing, you come and sing with us. Because we are just happy to have Elderly singers that want to sing,” Wolf said.
She said that it's a great way to stay active.
“You know we always have something going on, learning a new song, getting ready for performance and stuff like that, it keeps you very active and as we get older we tend not to do that as much and we should,” Wolf said.
Wolf said the singing group has also brought her new friends over the years.
“Having friends my age is part of it, you not only make friends with the people you sing with but you end up doing other things with them as well,” Wolf said.
One of those friends and fellow singers is Lynn Hopeman.
“I came last Christmas to see their concert and love it. I used to sing in a choir when I was young and in high school. I have not sung in 50 years but I said I think I want to try this,” Hopeman said.
Hopeman has sung with the Chorale for the past year.
“It was a challenge for my brain but also good for my brain. For me it's about meeting people who have similar thoughts, interests and just being able to sing again,” Hopeman said.
She said it has been a very rewarding experience.
“I think it's been nice to really sing good music again. You hum at home or sing along to the radio or whatever, back in our day it was radio. But I think for me it's been really singing good music again and the challenge of learning the challenge of performing it being with the director again who can really help bring out all the different parts of the music,” Hopeman said.
Hopeman said the community and kindness of the group goes behind singing. She said they are a group that supports one another.
“We had one of our Members who got RSV and she was very ill. Her fellow altos actually went to her house, brought her stuff. We all kind of chipped in, got her gift, just something special for her. Now she's back with us and she's going to perform in this performance. So, you know, it's that kind of thing that makes a difference, I think, in people's lives, not just the singing that we do. I think that's part of what makes it so special,” Hopeman said.
This year's holiday show was called, “Christmas: A Beautiful Site.”
“We start with Winter Wonderland and also some religious pieces, like Christ's child and Glory to god. I mean we really belt out that glory to god, it's a big piece,” Wolf said.
Hopeman said for their performances they wear matching red shirts and have jingle bells.
“We all get our little bells and jingle it when our pianist is playing the jazzy song jingle bells and I wear my holiday earrings,” Hopeman said.
Hopeman said they also do fun silly songs. She referenced one called “Shopping Shopping Shopping.”
“It's all about the Friday after Thanksgiving and how crazy it is in the early morning with people running in the store. So the whole song is about that and it just makes everybody laugh and smile,” Hopeman said.
The group also has more serious songs.
“The song at the end, ‘Peace Peace’ I think kind of brings a lot of tears to some people's eyes, because it talks about peace on earth and goodwill to men. Then at the last part of the song, the audience sings Silent Night with us while we sing the ‘Peace Peace’ and that's just a real special way to end it,” Hopeman said
Hopeman and Wolf said they love it when the audience participates and sings with them.
There are currently 27 participants in the chorale, but they hope more seniors will join.
"If they want to sing, we want them,” Wolf said.
The Chorale practices on Mondays from 1:15-3:15 pm at the downtown Colorado Springs YMCA.
“We have no tryouts. So you just come if you love to sing. We have people who read music and that's helpful. But we also have those who just memorize the music and don't even know how to read music. They just come and learn it and join us,” Hopeman said.
She said everyone 55 years old and above is welcome to join.
We would love to have new people come and join us at our next practices. Those will start on February 12th at the YMCA. There's free parking down there, so you don't have to worry about that. I know some people don't like to come downtown, but it's very easy to park and get to the YMCA. So yes, anyone 55 and older, we'd love to have you come and join us,” Hopeman said.
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