Young at Heart Choir
“Of all the things I enjoy in life, one of the greatest joys for me is bringing a smile to people's faces, and lifting them out of their situation even for a short period of time. I enjoy empowering people to do what they didn't think they could do. Singing is such a personal experience and can be an extremely uplifting and joyous. Anyone at any age or capacity deserves to experience this joy easily and effortlessly.”
Andrew McCubbin, founder Music (in)Tuition
Andrew McCubbin, founder Music (in)Tuition
About the Choirs
- Young at Heart Choirs are run by Music (in)Tuition’s founder, Andrew McCubbin
- They operate on site in Retirement Homes
- There is no set up required by Retirement Homes
- They can be tailored to Low Care, High Care and Dementia Residents
- Sessions run for 60 minutes
- We sing some fun songs from the 1920's through to the 1960’s that residents would recall or once knew and loved.
- Focus is on the individual as well as the group
- Choirs operate in a relaxed and nurturing way
- They’re designed to be fun, uplifting, enjoyable and rewarding
- It can also be educational if required
- Through gentle encouragement I can help those who may not be comfortable or confident with their singing, to sing with ease and more enjoyment
- The main focus though is simply to enjoy singing through singing songs residents are familiar with.
- Session prices are available upon expression of interest
- Programs can be tailored to suit your budget and residents' needs
The UK Alzheimer's Society runs very similar sessions to those I run. They're called Singing for the Brain. Click this link for more details UK Alzheimer's Society
Benefits of the Choirs
• A sense of wellbeing
• Cognitive improvement
• Self expression
• A sense of belonging
• A sense of achievement
• Increased confidence
• A sense of fulfillment and importance
• Feeling valued, welcomed and less isolated
• Feeling more comfortable in their internal and external environment
The benefits of Singing for the Brain were recently featured on BBC Radio.
It's a very moving, emotional and heartwarming piece.
Click this link to listen BBC Radio "Soul Music"
The program runs for 30 minutes but the section about Singing for the Brain starts at 1minute 30 seconds and ends at 9 minutes. The rest of the program is also fascinating.
A spokesperson for UK Alzheimer's Society recently stated:
"There is much anecdotal evidence that the (singing) groups have real benefits for people with dementia. Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music can sometimes still be recalled, if only for a short while. The sessions help people with dementia communicate, improving their mood and leaving them feeling good about themselves."
(See below links and more information about some recent studies regarding the benefits of singing especially for people with Dementia)
• Cognitive improvement
• Self expression
• A sense of belonging
• A sense of achievement
• Increased confidence
• A sense of fulfillment and importance
• Feeling valued, welcomed and less isolated
• Feeling more comfortable in their internal and external environment
The benefits of Singing for the Brain were recently featured on BBC Radio.
It's a very moving, emotional and heartwarming piece.
Click this link to listen BBC Radio "Soul Music"
The program runs for 30 minutes but the section about Singing for the Brain starts at 1minute 30 seconds and ends at 9 minutes. The rest of the program is also fascinating.
A spokesperson for UK Alzheimer's Society recently stated:
"There is much anecdotal evidence that the (singing) groups have real benefits for people with dementia. Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music can sometimes still be recalled, if only for a short while. The sessions help people with dementia communicate, improving their mood and leaving them feeling good about themselves."
(See below links and more information about some recent studies regarding the benefits of singing especially for people with Dementia)
Recording the Choirs
In conjunction with the choirs I also can provide portable recording facilities to record the residents which is then made into a CD for them to give to their families
Personal Experiences
Both the residents, managers of Retirement Homes and myself have had many moving and emotional experiences during these choirs. For privacy and anonymity reasons I have left out many details
One manager relayed to me how a resident who never spoke to anyone immediately began speaking with me, tapping along to the songs and singing with me by watching me mouth the words.
Another resident now sings through the halls everyday. She used to speak to me in quiet and disorientated tones about a choir she used to sing in. Each session she would start to recount these experiences. With each session I would talk with her and gently encourage her to speak about her memories but it wasn’t until we spoke with her daughter that we were told she used to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir during World War Two.One day she simply burst into song out of nowhere. It was so powerful, beautiful and moving. I would like to share a recording I made of her singing but am currently waiting permission to do so.
I’ve also been told (and can see it for myself too) that when I arrive their faces light up. This makes me very happy too.
Other residents tell me every week how much they enjoy the sessions and look forward to me coming.
One manager relayed to me how a resident who never spoke to anyone immediately began speaking with me, tapping along to the songs and singing with me by watching me mouth the words.
Another resident now sings through the halls everyday. She used to speak to me in quiet and disorientated tones about a choir she used to sing in. Each session she would start to recount these experiences. With each session I would talk with her and gently encourage her to speak about her memories but it wasn’t until we spoke with her daughter that we were told she used to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir during World War Two.One day she simply burst into song out of nowhere. It was so powerful, beautiful and moving. I would like to share a recording I made of her singing but am currently waiting permission to do so.
I’ve also been told (and can see it for myself too) that when I arrive their faces light up. This makes me very happy too.
Other residents tell me every week how much they enjoy the sessions and look forward to me coming.